Korbel ranked 12th best place in the world to earn a master’s degree in international relations.
Korbel ranked 20th in the world for the best undergraduate degree in international studies.
Korbel ranked 12th best place in the world to earn a master’s degree in international relations.
Korbel ranked 20th in the world for the best undergraduate degree in international studies.
Join the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security and Diplomacy as we launch the collaborative, multi-media art installation the bomb, which will be in place at the Community Commons Gallery (CCOM 1001) from April 1st through April 15th. We invite guests from all campus departments and the public community to engage with the installation, which explores the history, technology, and existential threat of nuclear weapons through the arts. The digital art installation displays award-winning film The Bomb (2016) from artist-journalist-directors Eric Schlosser and Smriti Keshari, who will join us the following week on April 8th for a film screening and panel discussion with Dr. Debak Das of nuclear disarmament and current security issues on the global scale. Refreshments will be served and all are welcome!
THE INSTALLATION
the bomb installation was inspired by nuclear command-and-control centers, addressing the vulnerabilities and the catastrophic potential of these complex technological systems. The centerpiece of the installation is an hour-long film that combines archival footage with animation and an original, electronic score by The Acid. Projected on a circular bank of forty-five screens that rise to the ceiling, surrounded by exposed wiring and circuit boards, the film conveys the hidden chaos and danger of the nuclear age.
University Engagement:
In addition to the installation, each university visit will feature a series of events designed to engage students, faculty, and the public in a wide-ranging dialogue and debate about nuclear issues. These events will include panel discussions, Q&A sessions with the artists, and interactive workshops that aim to deepen understanding and inspire campus-wide conversations about how to prevent nuclear wars.
Admission:
Admission to the bomb is free of charge for all university students, faculty, and the general public.
For more information, interview requests, or press materials, please contact Cherefawn Chang at [email protected].
Full credits:
the bomb is created by Smriti Keshari & Eric Schlosser; Film by Kevin Ford, Smriti Keshari & Eric Schlosser; Installation Design: Ben Kreukniet; Music: The Acid; Art Director: Stanley Donwood; Animation: The Kingdom of Ludd; Installation Technical Lead: Adam Paikowsky, Greenhouse Media; Installation Producer: C.A.V.E.; De-install & Transportation: Dimensions Art Production; Creative Producer: Cherefawn Chang
For former US Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley (pictured above, to the left), the International Career Advancement Program (ICAP) reaffirmed that she belonged in International Affairs. “ICAP provided the first gathering of foreign policy practitioners where I was not the ‘only’ in the room,” she said. “That gave me the ability to stop questioning my ‘appropriateness’ and focus on the mission at hand. It was key to my success in the field and raised my game as a proud American public servant.”
This Black History Month, the Korbel School honors the resilience, achievements, and lasting contributions that Black professionals have had on our culture, economy, and society. These influences have been profound for International Affairs and Public Policy — from embassies and classrooms around the world to grassroots organizers in our local communities. Founded by former Korbel Dean Dr. Tom Rowe, the International Career Advancement Program (ICAP) has helped Black professionals in government, nonprofits, and the private sector navigate career advancement for nearly thirty years.
ICAP empowers Black leaders to drive meaningful change and achieve excellence in their fields through mentorship, policy discussions, and professional development. The program has been recognized by the US Congressional legislation and the Global Diversity List for its impact on diversity in leadership, and has a network of 900+ alumni who have ascended to senior roles, including US Ambassadors, executive directors, and CEOs.
ICAP’s impact is best seen through the success of its fellows. Latanya Mapp, President and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), shares how the program helped shape her career:
“Since my time at the Aspen Institute more than 20 years ago, the ICAP network has allowed me to understand and experience international affairs as a career professional moving from the UN to the US Foreign Service with USAID, to social justice NGOs and funds. I've left no stone unturned, and I am still going. I would not have the courage to use my voice without this amazing network and the power that comes with it.”
As we honor Black history, resilience, and progress during Black History Month and beyond, it is essential to recognize and support programs that create lasting opportunities for underrepresented communities. ICAP has long been a vital resource for advancing fair representation and inclusive leadership in international affairs and public policy. By fostering a strong network of professionals dedicated to meaningful change, the program continues to empower the next generation of leaders. To learn more about ICAP and its impact, or to apply to the 2025 cohort, contact Program Director Dr. Tom Rowe at [email protected] and Program Coordinator Angela Martinez at [email protected].
To learn more about how we celebrated Black History Month this year at the University of Denver, click here.
Studying abroad at the Korbel School isn’t just about hitting the books in a different country. It’s about creating opportunities for students to immerse themselves in new cultures, network with global leaders, and dare to redefine their futures. The month between the Fall and Winter Quarters — called “Winter Interterm” — is a chance for Korbel students to embrace these experiences.
This year, graduate and undergraduate students took three separate faculty-led academic trips to Kenya, Colombia, and the Balkans.
Researching Green Energy in Kenya
For Grecia Castel, a first-year Global Economic Affairs MA student, the study abroad program in Nairobi, Kenya was a deep dive into her passion for sustainability and green energy. “I got to research what I was passionate about while also talking to locals about real-world issues,” Grecia said.
Assistant Professor Singumbe Muyeba and Postdoctoral Research Assistant Abigail Kabandula led the trip in collaboration with faculty from the University of Nairobi’s Department of Diplomacy and International Studies. Dr. Muyeba and Dr. Kabandula supplemented these lessons with research activities across the city, bringing students to United Nations offices and the Parliament of Kenya to experience Kenya’s green energy transition first-hand. “I learned how representatives write environmental law into the Constitution,” Grecia said.
Alongside their studies, there was time to explore the African countryside, too. “We got to see some lions in the middle of a hunt, and they even used the tourist vehicles to get closer to their prey. Everyone was quiet, and it was really interesting to watch and wait. It felt like National Geographic in real life,” Grecia said.
Connecting with Leaders in the Balkans
Teaching Associate Professor Keith Gehring led a group of undergraduates to the Balkans. “Dr. Gehring’s enthusiasm was contagious,” Micah DenBraber said, a junior majoring in International Affairs. “Whether we were meeting with local politicians or just walking the streets, he made everything feel incredibly relevant and personal.”
The group’s itinerary included lectures at the University of Osijek, oral histories on pivotal events like the siege of Vukovar, visits to Parliamentary Assemblies in Belgrade and Sarajevo, and meetings with Serbian and US ambassadors. The trip was grounded in experiences with locals across the Balkans, ranging from personal accounts of local conflict to lectures about diplomatic relations.
“The opportunity helped me understand how leaders relate to their people and what a dysfunctional nation-state looks like,” Micah said. “We talked to politicians, including Marina Raguš, a Serbian parliamentarian, and even attended a lecture from the chair of the Serbian Parliament’s foreign affairs committee in the actual parliamentary hall. That was really cool.” Alongside his studies, Micah shared how life-changing it was to spend mornings in a city like Sarajevo. “I’d wake up to the call to prayer echoing across the city. From my hotel room, I had an amazing view of all the minarets lit up at twilight. It was something I’ll never forget.”
A Career Epiphany in Colombia
“I always pictured myself as an intelligence analyst,” Helen Lee, a first-year International Security MA student, shares. “But after this trip, I realized I might actually want a career where I can travel, engage with people, and be on the ground. That was a huge shift for me.”
Associate Professor Oliver Kaplan and Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Student Affairs Lewis Griffith accompanied students to Colombia, where they toured Bogotá and engaged in meaningful conversations with government officials at the University of the Andes. They also traveled to Zipacón, a region famous for coffee cultivation, hearing from organizers about sustainability in the area. Students interviewed locals to hear what political advocacy looked like from people on the ground.
And for Helen, a simple late-night conversation in a hammock with a fellow student turned into an unforgettable bonding experience. “We stayed up until 3:30 in the morning, just talking about everything—life, career goals, travel. You build these relationships that you wouldn’t have in a normal classroom setting.”
Take the Leap
One thing all three students agreed on: spending December abroad was worth it. “Since this is only a two-year program,” Helen said, “I didn’t want to miss too much of my time here. So when I saw that there was a Winter Interterm program, I thought, ‘perfect!’”
Micah says that even the Winter Interterm application process at Korbel incentivized travel. “Applying was super easy. I wasn’t nervous because I knew it was a great fit. If you’re applying for a trip and don’t know much about the host location, that is totally fine. You come to Korbel for opportunities like this. Not every school has experts with such incredible networks and first-hand experience. You can’t put a price on that.”
All three students emphasized how invaluable traveling with peers in their cohort was. “It’s a unique experience you’re all sharing at the same time,” Grecia said, “so you get to know each other very well and very quickly.”
To learn more about earning a degree at the Korbel school, contact us here.
The University of Denver has awarded the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies the prestigious designation of "Institute status," recognizing its research excellence and its critical contributions to addressing today’s most pressing policy challenges. Established in 2018 through a transformative $14 million gift from Doug and Mary Scrivner, the Institute has become a leader in interdisciplinary research, civil discourse, and community engagement on local to global public policy issues.
Under the leadership of Professor and Director Dr. Naazneen Barma, the Scrivner Institute has seen remarkable growth, expanding its faculty and partnerships, more than doubling research funding, and producing numerous publications and policy reports. It has also developed innovative initiatives like the Colorado Project, Denver Dialogues, and Scrivner Policy Roundtables. “This recognition from the University is testament to the exceptional work of our faculty and staff and the Institute’s commitment to fostering meaningful policy research and dialogue at local, national, and global levels,” said Dr. Barma.
Fritz Mayer, Dean of the Josef Korbel School, praised the milestone: “The Scrivner Institute exemplifies what it means to be a hub for actionable, collaborative, and innovative public policy research. We are excited to see how its new Institute status will further elevate its impact.”
Learn more about the Scrivner Institute and its groundbreaking work at korbel.du.edu/scrivner.
Dr. Suisheng Zhao, Professor and Director of the Center for China-U.S. Cooperation (CCUSC) at the Josef Korbel School, continues to receive widespread recognition for his book, The Dragon Roars Back: Transformational Leaders and Dynamics of Chinese Foreign Policy (Stanford University Press).
Foreign Affairs magazine has named Zhao’s work among its Best Books of 2024, further solidifying its contribution to the field of international relations.
The book has also garnered high praise from leading scholars and journals:
Explore the full list of Foreign Affairs’ Best Books of 2024, at foreignaffairs.com.
More on Dr. Zhao and Center for China-U.S. Cooperation at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies here.
The Josef Korbel School of International Studies has partnered with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) to offer CHCI alumni a 50% tuition discount for any of its graduate programs and an application fee waiver. This partnership will expand educational opportunities for CHCI alumni and reduce their educational costs while bringing CHCI’s network of Latino Professionals to Korbel.
“I am delighted to share the news of our partnership with CHCI. This is a significant step in our ongoing commitment to making graduate education more accessible and affordable. The talented professionals in the CHCI program will be right at home in our community of scholars, thought leaders, and changemakers.” – Dean Fritz Mayer
CHCI addresses issues facing the Latino community by bringing together the most influential actors in policymaking: members of Congress, other elected officials, corporate executives, and influential nonprofits. CHCI provides leadership, public service, and policy experiences to outstanding Hispanic students and young professionals, which complements the Korbel School’s dedication to training the next generation of leaders in international affairs and public policy.
“We are excited to collaborate with the Josef Korbel School of International Studies to offer the CHCI alumni network another incredible opportunity,” said Marco Davis, CHCI President and CEO. “This partnership advances our goal of making higher education more attainable and maintains our commitment to fostering leadership and service. This collaboration will prepare our alumni to tackle global challenges with greater expertise and dedication.”
The Korbel School will allow CHCI participants to earn a master’s degree in any one of the following programs:
The MA and MPP programs at the Korbel School require 60 credits and two academic years of full-time enrollment. To apply to our programs, follow this link.
About the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute:
CHCI is the premier Hispanic nonprofit and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization in the country dedicated to developing the next generation of Latino leaders®, providing leadership, public service, and policy experiences to outstanding students and young professionals, and convening Members of Congress, other public officials, corporate executives, nonprofit advocates, and thought leaders to discuss issues facing the nation and the Hispanic community.
The University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies has been named the 12th best place in the world to earn a master’s degree in international relations by Foreign Policy magazine, moving up from 14th in the previous ranking. Korbel’s undergraduate degree program was ranked 20th in the United States. These rankings are based on an extensive survey of more than 900 international relations scholars.
Dean Fritz Mayer expressed pride at the news. “It is hard to overstate how remarkable these rankings are given the formidable competition. Such glowing recognition by those who know international affairs programs best is a wonderful testament to the excellence of our faculty, the strength of our programs, the quality of our staff, and the accomplishments of our students and alumni.”
Foreign Policy also separately surveyed policymakers and think tank staffers, who ranked the Korbel School master’s programs 18th and 28th, respectively. The school was one of only five outside of the East Coast that ranked in the top 30 by all three respondent groups.
The University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies offers master's degrees in:
MA and MPP programs at the Korbel School are 60 credits and take two academic years of full-time enrollment. To learn more about our programs, follow this link.
The Best International Relations Schools in the World – Foreign Policy
The latest ranking of the top 50 IR programs for undergraduates, master's, and Ph.D.s.
The University of Denver has announced the inaugural designation of six existing DU research entities as official DU Research Institutes.
“These new Research Institutes possess national and international reputations of significant stature, creating the peer reputation needed for their departments or divisions to become highly respected,” says Corinne Lengsfeld, senior vice provost for research and graduate education. “They serve the fundamental mission of the University by creating an accessible educational environment that attracts, retrains and retains top faculty and students.”
To be considered for designation as a Research Institute, an entity must have a three- to five-year annual average of $1.5 million in research expenditures from external sources. It must also be found to contribute to the fabric of the University through a certain number of faculty involved and students taught and trained.
Research Institutes get more access to resources from DU departments including Information Technology, Marketing and Communications and Advancement, among others. They will also receive financial incentives from the University to stabilize their administration and cover other costs.
More information on Research Institutes can be found on the DU Research Policies webpage.
The new Research Institutes are as follows:
The Butler Institute for Families (Graduate School of Social Work)
The Frederick S. Pardee Institute for International Futures (Korbel School of International Studies)
The Institute for Human-Animal Connection (Graduate School of Social Work)
The Marsico Institute for Early Learning (Morgridge College of Education)
The Stress, Early Experience and Development Institute (College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences)
The Institute for Relationship Science (College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences)
Dr. Mahmoud Jibril, former interim prime minister of Libya, will speak at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies on September 16. His discussion, "Making Sense of Libya Today," is hosted by the school's Pardee Center for International Futures and Center for Middle East Studies, and WorldDenver.
Joining Dr. Jibril at the noontime luncheon will be Ambassador Christopher Hill (Ret.), dean of the Josef Korbel School. The event is free and open to the public. Media are invited to attend.
Date: Friday, September 16, 2016
Time: Noon
Location: University of Denver, Sie International Relations Complex, 5th Floor, 2201 S. Gaylord St.
Media interested in attending should RSVP to Theresa Ahrens at [email protected].
Dr. Jibril is a board member of the Sir Bani Yas Forum, the Independent Commission on Multilateralism and the International Advisory Board for UniCredit Group. He holds a doctorate in political science, strategic planning and foreign policy from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Jibril is visiting the Josef Korbel School to learn more about the Pardee Center's International Futures (IFs) integrated modeling tool. He will spend the afternoon of September 16 with Pardee research scientists discussing long-term planning and comprehensive national and international forecasting.
Dr. Jonathan Moyer, director of the Pardee Center, will introduce guests and launch the conversation. Dr. Nader Hashemi, director of the Center for Middle East Studies, will moderate a question-and-answer session with the audience.
The University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies announced today that the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures has been selected to receive a $1.05 million research grant as part of the Department of Defense's Minerva Initiative. The awarded project, "Taking Development (Im)Balance Seriously: Using New Approaches to Measure and Model State Fragility," will develop a new, more comprehensive index for measuring and monitoring state fragility in the future.
Though widely used and cited, existing state fragility indices, designed specifically to signal instances of abrupt socio-political change such as the Arab Spring or the ongoing uprisings in Ukraine, have missed the mark, limiting the strategic options available to our country's national security and defense leaders. In this project, a team at the Josef Korbel School intends to improve upon existing quantitative methods by developing and testing new measures of economic, political, or broader social (im)balance and fragility related to abrupt socio-political change and forecasting these metrics to 2035.
Pardee Center Associate Director Jonathan D. Moyer and Director Barry B. Hughes are the principal investigators on this project. Other co-investigators from the Josef Korbel School include faculty members Erica Chenoweth, Cullen Hendrix, Oliver Kaplan, and Timothy Sisk. This will be the second Minerva grant awarded to both Chenoweth and Hendrix.
"This Minerva grant provides us with an exciting opportunity to extend how we measure and analyze structural factors that contribute to abrupt socio-political change, especially in middle-income countries," said Hughes.
The grant will be awarded over a three-year period, with a possible two-year extension.
The $1.05 million grant marks a milestone for the Josef Korbel School. Presently, there is more than $4.1 million in external funding for active projects at the School. Over the past five years external funding for research projects has tripled—an increase that reflects the School's growing strength in quantitative social science research. "Through their innovative research, faculty at the Josef Korbel School are answering some of today's most pressing questions," said Christopher Hill, dean of the Josef Korbel School. "We emphasize quantitative skills in both our research and curricula. This award from the Department of Defense and the sharp increase in research grants affirms our continued improvement in this area."
According to the DoD, the Minerva Initiative was launched by former Defense Secretary Robert Gates in 2008 "to improve DoD's basic understanding of the social, cultural, behavioral, and political forces that shape regions of the world of strategic importance to the US."
The Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures uses the IFs integrated forecasting system to provide long-term analysis of development, security, and sustainability issues to various governments, private companies, and other non-governmental organizations worldwide. The center has published its own volume series, Patterns of Potential Human Progress, and has contributed to publications including the National Intelligence Council's Global Trends reports and the United Nation's Human Development Report.
For more information, please visit the center's website: pardee.du.edu
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