Since its founding, the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) has been dedicated to the improvement of professional education in international affairs and, thereby, the advancement of global prosperity, peace, and security.

Peace, prosperity, and security come from the exchange of ideas, goods, services, and interactions with those different from ourselves.

We are alarmed by the recent US Executive Order banning visa issuance from seven Muslim-majority nations that was issued after harsh statements directed specifically and categorically against Muslims.

Closing ourselves off makes our countries ill prepared to deal with global challenges. It also directly challenges the work of our members and affiliates and is contrary to the core values of our Schools.

People from all points of view, religions, races, and backgrounds contribute to the education APSIA schools provide. Our community of tens of thousands of students, faculty, alumni, and staff come from nearly every country in the world, as our schools are committed to diversity and inclusion.

We know diversity is an asset. Our students encounter different and divergent perspectives, so that they are adequately prepared for the complex, interconnected world in which they live. They learn to separate information from knowledge. They build a framework to evaluate choices and form opinions based on the analysis of concrete information.

Policy choices matter. They affect people’s lives. That’s why we dedicate ourselves to educating current and future leaders about the issues that connect us. By design, our schools and our students focus on international affairs and policy, because they want to serve a good larger than themselves.

Our students come to master aspects of international affairs in all its complexity. The APSIA community remains dedicated to helping students, schools, organizations, and partners transform themselves into more effective agents of positive change in an environment of mutual respect for all.  We will also work to provide a vehicle for representatives from our Schools – deans, faculty, career specialists, academic advisers, communications staff, and others – to consult on issues that go to the heart of what we do.

Signed,

Andrea Bartoli, Dean, School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University

Reuben E. Brigety, II, Dean, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University

Kelly Brownell, Dean, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University

Philippe Burrin, Director, Graduate Institute of Geneva

Susan M. Collins, Joan and Sanford Weill Dean, Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan

Sherry Glied, Dean, Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, New York University

James Goldgeier, Dean, School of International Service, American University

Gordon Hanson, Acting Dean, School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Diego

Joel S. Hellman, Dean, Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University

Christopher R. Hill, Dean, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver

Merit E Janow, Dean, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University

Jacint Jordana, Director, Institut Barcelona Estudis Internacionals

Reşat Kasaba, Director, Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington

John Keeler, Dean, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh

Andrew Kim, Dean, Graduate School of International Studies, Korea University

Akihiko Kimijima, Dean, College of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University

Masahisa Koyama, Dean Graduate School of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University

Dirk Lehmkuhl, Director, Master of International Affairs and Governance Program, University of St. Gallen

Enrico Letta, Dean, Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po

James Levinsohn, Director, Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, Yale University

Kishore Mahbubani, Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore

Michael McIntyre, Chair, Department of International Studies, DePaul University

Carmen Mezzera, Executive Director, Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs

Adil Najam, Dean, Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University

Keiji Nakatsuji, Professor, Graduate School of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University

Vali Nasr, Dean, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University

Irina Novikova, Dean, School of International Relations, Saint-Petersburg State University

Robert Orr, Dean, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland

Wayne Sandholtz, Director, School of International Relations, University of Southern California

Henry Schwalbenberg, Director, Fordham University’s Graduate Program in International Political Economy and Development[1]

Eric Schwartz, Dean, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota

James Stavridis, Dean, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University

Kathryn E. Stoner, Director, Ford Dorsey International Policy Studies Program, Stanford University

Lars Strannegård, President, Stockholm School of Economics

Stephen Toope, Director, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto

Shujiro Urata, Dean, Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University

David M. Van Slyke, Dean, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

[1] For identification purposes only.