The APSIA Awards is an annual recognition program that celebrates the hard work and innovation in the APSIA community. Since 2021, nominations come from the institutions themselves, as well as the broader community. 

In 2025, APSIA received nominations from 11 universities across three countries. Representatives from APSIA member institutions evaluated each nominee using a standardized set of criteria.

Impact Award celebrates an APSIA member or affiliate who has contributed to APSIA’s success across the organization over time and helped move our community forward.

Winner: Geneva Graduate Institute for their many contributions to APSIA’s work with deans and directors, admissions, alumni relations, career services, communications, development, employer outreach, and the public.

Inclusion Award for Community Building celebrates programs/efforts within the last year that bridged different groups and deepened a sense of connection within the community.

Nominees

• Boston University Pardee School of Global Studies Urban Refuge Program - WINNER
• Boston University Pardee School of Global Studies Pardee Passport
• IE University School of Politics, Economics, & Global Affairs Nepal Transformational Leadership Journey
• George Washington University Elliott School of Intl Affairs Voices of Our Community: Elliott Student Listening Sessions
• Yale University Jackson School of Global Studies The Road Ahead: Conversations for Aspiring Changemakers

More on the Urban Refuge: This program demonstrates how theoretical knowledge of migration, human security, and humanitarian intervention can be translated into practical, technology-driven solutions. Launched in 2017 as part of the IR 500 course, the project has grown into an initiative that connects Pardee students with refugee communities in both Jordan and Boston. To learn more about Urban Refuge, please click here.

Innovation Award for Professional Development Programming celebrates new or innovative programming that helped graduate students develop professionally in the fields of international affairs within the last year.

Nominees

• Balsillie School of International Affairs Technology Governance Summer School WINNER
• Rice University Master of Global Affairs Program Global Negotiation Masterclass in Paris
• IE University School of Politics, Economics, & Global Affairs Diplomatic Career Accelerator
• Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced Intl Studies Walmart Global Policy Challenge, Corporate Diplomacy Trek and Skills Course
• University of Denver Josef Korbel School of Intl Studies Korbel AmeriCorps Program
• University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs Advancing Climate Solutions. Now.
• Boston University Pardee School of Global Studies Pardee Career Night, Beyond the Headlines, and Annual Graduate Student NYC Trip

More on the 2024 Technology Governance Summer School: This project brings together graduate students from the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA), the University of Waterloo, and Wilfrid Laurier University, representing diverse academic backgrounds - social sciences: policy, geography, political science, global health and STEM: mathematics, computer science, engineering, health sciences. This transdisciplinary program provides essential insights into how technological advancements and scientific developments are shaping governance and policy. To learn more about the BSIA's Technology Governance Summer School, please click here.

Intersection Award for Linking Theory and Practice celebrates programs/events within the last year that connected current affairs, policymakers’ work, and/or people’s everyday lives to the broader tenets of international relations.

Nominees

• University of Toronto Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy Executive A.I. Learning Accelerator WINNER
• University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs Humphrey School’s Constructive Dialogue Initiative
• IE University School of Politics, Economics, & Global Affairs Policy & Economics for Better Decisions and Immersion Weeks
• Boston University Pardee School of Global Studies Pardee Atlas Graduate Research Conference and Afghan Women's Economic Resilience Summit
• University of Toronto Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy Master of Global Affairs Experiential Course to Brussels

More on The Executive A.I. Learning Accelerator - the program was developed in partnership with the Canada School of Public Service and University of Toronto Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. This initiative supports both Munk’s students and federal employees by enhancing their understanding of AI and the role of the federal government in making decisions about investment and regulation as well as the implications for the way the government delivers services to its citizens and manages its operations . To learn more about the Executive A.I. Learning Accelerator, please click here.

To learn more about the APSIA Awards, click here.