The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) is a non-profit educational organization of leading universities in the field of international affairs education and research. As of 2026, the association includes 41 full members and 30 affiliate schools.
Contents
History
The idea for the association emerged in the mid-1970s, when deans of leading American schools of international affairs began informal discussions on how to improve student training. With a grant from the Exxon Education Foundation, these schools conducted a comparative analysis of their curricula.
In 1987, Robert Goheen, former president of Princeton University, conducted a study recommending the creation of a "full-fledged organization" to facilitate the exchange of experience. Following his recommendations, APSIA was officially incorporated as a non-profit organization on April 13, 1989. The first president was Jeswald Salacuse of Tufts University.
In the 1990s, after the end of the Cold War, APSIA expanded its activities with support from the Pew, Ford, and other foundations. A key project of this period was the detailed report Professional Schools of International Affairs on the Eve of the 21st Century (1994), prepared under the leadership of Louis W. Goodman. The report's goal was to analyze how the then-15 member schools were adapting their curricula to new global challenges.
This period saw a surge in interest in international affairs education. In the first five years of the association's existence (1989–1994), the number of applications to member schools increased by nearly 60%, and the number of enrolled students grew by almost 40%.
In the 2000s, the association continued to grow, establishing partnerships to attract underrepresented groups to the field of international relations and organizing international career and education fairs. Today, APSIA aims to "advance international understanding, prosperity, peace, and security through the people and ideas shaped by our schools."
Leadership
The highest governing body of the association is the Executive Committee. The term for the 2023–2025 committee began on June 1, 2023. In January 2025, its composition was updated. The current members include:
President: Arancha González, Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po.
Vice President: Amaney Jamal, Dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.
Treasurer: Carissa Slotterback, Dean of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.
Committee Members: Danny Quah (National University of Singapore), Miguel Angel Santos (Tecnológico de Monterrey), Marie-Laure Salles (Geneva Graduate Institute).
Structure and membership
APSIA offers two levels of participation:
Full Members are autonomous university units with master's degree programs that meet all of APSIA's criteria. They have voting rights in the Council of Members, can hold leadership positions in the association, and actively participate in all events.
Affiliate Status is available for units with master's degree programs that do not seek full membership or do not meet all its criteria. Affiliates participate in a limited number of events and do not have voting rights.
Admission to the association is by invitation after a review of the application by the membership committee and a vote by the Council of Members.
Activities
APSIA Awards
Since 2021, the association has presented the annual APSIA Awards to recognize and encourage innovation within the member school community. Nominations can come from the educational institutions themselves and the general public. There are four main categories: Innovation, Inclusivity, Bridging Theory and Practice, and the Impact Award.
Impact Award Winners:
2021: University of California, San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy
2022: Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore
2023: The Fletcher School at Tufts University
2024: Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po
2025: Geneva Graduate Institute
Features and significance
According to the association, APSIA member institutions emphasize the application of theory to solve practical problems. Their programs combine training in areas such as critical thinking, quantitative analysis, public communication, and project management with in-depth regional, cultural, and economic expertise.
The significance of APSIA schools is confirmed by the success of their graduates, who have become heads of state and senior officials in more than 12 countries. The association's institutions consistently rank among the top five producers of prestigious American fellowships, such as the Presidential Management Fellows and Boren Fellows. Each year, more than 80% of the Pickering and Rangel Fellows, who are prepared for careers as U.S. diplomats, are students at APSIA member schools. The employment or graduate school placement rate shortly after graduation is 91%.
Fellowships and internships
APSIA helps students find fellowships and scholarships to fund their education. The association's official website features a Fellowship Board that consolidates funding opportunities related to the field of international relations.
Members
As of 2025, the association includes 40 full members and 30 affiliate schools.
Initial members (1994)
According to the 1994 report, the association comprised 15 American university members:
American University (School of International Service)
University of California, San Diego (School of Global Policy and Strategy)
Columbia University (School of International and Public Affairs)
University of Denver (Josef Korbel School of International Studies)
Georgetown University (Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service)
George Washington University (Elliott School of International Affairs)
Harvard University (John F. Kennedy School of Government)
Johns Hopkins University (Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies)
University of Maryland, College Park (School of Public Policy)
University of Pittsburgh (Graduate School of Public and International Affairs)
Princeton University (Princeton School of Public and International Affairs)
University of Southern California (USC School of International Relations)
Tufts University (The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy)
University of Washington (Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies)
Former members
This list includes institutions that were previously members of the association but are not listed in its directories as of 2025.
Moscow State Institute of International Relations
Saint Petersburg State University, School of International Relations