The University Leadership Council on Diversity and Inclusion in International Affairs connects deans and directors of top U.S. graduate schools in international affairs and public policy to share best practices for promoting diversity and inclusion in graduate studies programs. The council was founded in 2018 by Carla Koppell, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service interim vice dean for diversity, equity and inclusion, and managing director of Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace, and Security.
In 2019 this University Leadership Council released a series of recommendations to update global affairs education and better prepare graduates to navigate today’s increasingly heterogeneous world. Hundreds of academic leaders added their names and their call to action was featured in an op-ed in Inside Higher Ed. In March 2021, Carla Koppell co-authored a report for the Council on Foreign Relations on why and how to transform international affairs education to address diversity, equity and inclusion. The report argues that insufficient leadership, outdated curricula, and alienating school climates leave future foreign policy experts ill prepared to address the social forces contributing to fragility and unrest globally. In November 2021, Carla Koppell co-authored a report for Foreign Affairs on why diversity matters in international affairs education and how it can improve U.S. foreign policy.
In 2023, the University Leadership Council continues its conversations about reforming curricula, culture, and school composition. The Council is led by the Volcker Alliance, which supports the council with coordination, project management, facilitation, documentation, and other programmatic activities.
View the list of participating schools on the 2022-2023 Membership page.
Read more about ULC Public Outreach and Events.