School of Global and International Studies receives approval

A national search will begin immediately for the first leader of the School of Global and International Studies after the Board of Trustees approved the push to bring new degrees to Bloomington’s campus at Friday’s meeting.

“This is one of the most important developments in the nearly 200 years of IU’s history,” IU President Michael McRobbie said. “By bringing together into one school the core of IU’s extraordinary resources in global and international studies, the University stands poised to join the most outstanding programs in the world in these truly vital areas.”

The new school, to be housed in a new building between Herman B Wells Library and the TV and Radio Building, will bring together more than 350 core and affiliated faculty members from the University. The new school will be based in the College of Arts and Sciences and associated with IU’s 11 federally funded Title VI area studies centers.

“To accomplish the goal of increasing our students’ global competencies, the school will draw from a wealth of intellectual assets that include faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as in all of the professional schools on campus,” Provost and Executive Vice President Lauren Robel said.

While many departments at IU offer international areas of study, there is currently no graduate degree in the field. The school will develop new bachelor and master of science degrees in global studies and a new master’s degree in international studies. A new doctoral program in global studies is also being planned.

Larry Singell, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the new school will allow IU students to compete with the world.

He cited a recent study published in the Chronicle of Higher Education that stated U.S. universities “must improve the global competencies of all American students and learn educational best practices from other countries, and be more active in educational diplomacy, such as the global exchange of students and sponsors.”

Trustee Tom Reilly said he supported the school because, in addition to bringing global concerns to the forefront, it will add value to liberal arts degrees.

“To be able to put together something that puts some professional relevance next to the liberal arts degree, it creates degrees which are needed in the world,” Reilly said. “It will increase the relevancy of our liberal arts program and strengthen the College.”

The trustees and administration showed no doubt the new school would be a positive addition for IU.

“The University, inheriting this longstanding international vision, has made investments over many decades in faculty talent,” McRobbie said. “These strategic investments will make IU a natural home for a world-class program that will bring the world to IU and IU to the world, as President Herman B Wells once envisioned.”