Josette Sheeran Delivered 2011 SAIS Commencement Address on May 26
Josette Sheeran, executive director of the U.N. World Food Programme, delivered the 2011 SAIS commencement address on “Transformational Leadership in a Flat World” on Thursday, May 26. Click here for audio and video of this event.

SAIS Hosted Conference on U.S.-Japan Partnership on May 19
The SAIS Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies and CULCON held a daylong conference "Enhancing the U.S.-Japan Partnership: Education and Cultural Ties in a Changing Global Context" on Thursday, May 19. Eduardo Ochoa, assistant secretary for Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education, and  Ichiro Fujisaki, Japanese ambassador to the United States, delivered keynote addresses.

Closing remarks were provided by Daniel K. Inouye, U.S. senator for Hawaii.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen Spoke at SAIS on May 12
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, discused "NATO: A Changing Alliance in a Changing World" on Thursday, May 12.

SAIS Hosted Conference on Nigeria’s April 2011 Elections on May 10
Various speakers discussed "Nigeria's 2011 Elections: Achievements, Problems and Prospects" on Tuesday May 10. Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria and former vice chancellor of Bayero University, gave the forum's keynote address on "Challenges of Conducting Free, Fair and Credible Elections in Nigeria."

SAIS Hosted Forum on Political Transitions in the Middle East and North Africa on May 10
Endy Bayuni, visiting fellow at the East-West Center; Michele Dunne, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Peter Gastrow, senior fellow and director of programs at the International Peace Institute; and Leena El-Ali, director of the Muslim-Western Relations and Middle East and North Africa Programs at Search for Common Ground, discussed "From Revolution to Democracy: Lessons for Political Transitions in the Middle East and North Africa" on Tuesday, May 10.

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora Spoke at SAIS on May 4
Fuad Siniora, former prime minister of Lebanon and currently a member of Lebanese Parliament and head of the Future Parliamentary Bloc, discussed "The Arab Spring and the Future of the Middle East?" on Wednesday, May 4.

U.S. Department of Energy’s Jonathan Elkind Discussed Future of Natural Gas on May 3
On Tuesday, May 3, SAIS hosted a daylong conference entitled, “Transatlantic Agenda for Natural Gas Supplies.” Jonathan Elkind, principal deputy assistant secretary of Energy for Policy and International Energy, delivered the morning keynote address on “Natural Gas: A Bridge Fuel or an Obstacle to a Sustainable Energy Future?”

State Department’s Deborah McCarthy Discussed U.S. Economy at SAIS on April 29
Deborah McCarthy, U.S. principal deputy assistant secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs, discussed "Current Economic Priorities in U.S. Foreign Policy" on Friday, April 29.

Economist Dani Rodrik Spoke at SAIS on April 28
Dani Rodrik, Rafiq Hariri Professor of International Political Economy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, discussed "The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy" on Thursday, April 28.

SAIS Hosted Event Honoring 50th Anniversary of the Peace Corps on April 27
Kevin Quigley, president of the National Peace Corps Association and former professorial lecturer in the SAIS International Development Program; and SAIS graduates Jill Miller, deputy director of the Civil Society Development Division at IREX; Matthew Breman, director of the Africa Program at Chemonics; and Eric Melby, founding member of the Scowcroft Group, discussed "The Peace Corps at 50: How Far Will You Go?" on Wednesday, April 27.

SAIS Hosted Book Launch Event With Francis Fukuyama on April 25
Francis Fukuyama, senior fellow at the SAIS Foreign Policy Institute and Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University; Adam Garfinkle, editor of The American Interest; Michael Woolcock, lead social development specialist for the World Bank’s Development Research Group; and Cinnamon Dornsife (moderator), acting director of the SAIS International Development Program, discussed Fukuyama’s new book, The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution.

Former Pakistani Ambassador Touqir Hussain Spoke at SAIS on April 22
Touqir Hussain, former Pakistani ambassador to Brazil, Japan and Spain and senior visiting fellow in the SAIS South Asia Studies Program, discussed "The United States and Pakistan: An Uneasy Relationship" on Friday, April 22.

Former Afghan Ambassador Said Jawad Spoke at SAIS on April 21
Said T. Jawad, diplomat-in-residence in the SAIS South Asia Studies Program and former Afghan ambassador to the United States, discussed "Afghanistan: Transition, Reconciliation and Exit Strategy" on Thursday, April 21.

SAIS Hosted U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk on April 20
Ron Kirk, United States trade representative, participated in a Q&A session on Wednesday, April 20, with SAIS students and Matthias Matthijs, a professorial lecturer in the SAIS International Economics Program, serving as moderator.

SAIS Hosted Conference on Demographic Trends and the BRICs on April 19
On Tuesday, April 19, SAIS hosted a conference on demographic trends and the BRIC countries as part of the "Year of Demography" at SAIS. Featured speakers included Nick Eberstadt, Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute. Click here for more information and audio/video of this event.

SAIS and INSEAD Announce New Dual-Degree Program
SAIS and INSEAD, the leading international business school, announced on Tuesday, April19 an agreement to establish a dual-degree program. The new program will allow students from both schools to work toward completing the SAIS Master of Arts (M.A.) and INSEAD Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) simultanously. Students admitted to both programs will be able to complete the two degrees in two and a half years, instead of three years required to complete the degrees separately—by spending one and a half years at SAIS and one year at INSEAD. Click here for more information.

Economist Raghuram Rajan Spoke at SAIS on April 15
Raghuram Rajan, professor of finance at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, discussed his recent book, Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy, on Friday, April 15.

SAIS Hosted Conference on Myanmar and the Two Koreas on April 11
On Monday, April 11, SAIS hosted a conference on “Myanmar and the Two Koreas: Dangers and Opportunities.” David Albright, physicist and president of the Institute for Science and International Security; Robert Kelley, nuclear engineer and former U.S. Department of Energy affiliate; Alexandre Y. Mansourov, visiting scholar at the U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS (USKI); Charles L. (Jack) Pritchard, president of the Korea Economic Institute and former U.S. ambassador to and special envoy for negotiations to Democratic People's Republic of Korea; Andrew Selth, research fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute of Griffith University; and Joel Wit (moderator), visiting scholar at USKI, discussed “Security Cooperation Between Myanmar and North Korea."

Michael J. Green, senior adviser and Japan chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and associate professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service; Joseph Y. Yun, deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State; and William M. Wise (moderator), acting director of the SAIS Southeast Asia Studies Program, discussed “What It All Means: Implications of North and South Korean Relations With Myanmar.”

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham Spoke at SAIS on April 6
Lindsey Graham, Republican senator from South Carolina and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, discussed "American Foreign Policy: A View From the Senate" on Wednesday, April 6.

SAIS Hosted Forum on Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami on April 5
On Tuesday, April 5, SAIS hosted a forum on "Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami: Dimensions of the Disaster and Future Prospects" featuring Ichiro Fujisaki, Japanese ambassador to the United States; Jessica P. Einhorn (welcome remarks), dean of SAIS; David Barlow, captain of the Virginia Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department; Hironori Kawauchi, senior economist of the East Asia and Pacific Region at the World Bank; Ryo Tsuzukihashi, Japanese SAIS graduate student; and Kent Calder (moderator), director of the SAIS Japan Studies Program.

Admiral Mike Mullen Spoke at SAIS on March 31
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed “Perspectives on the Global Security Environment” during the 2011 Rostov Lecture on International Affairs on Thursday, March 31.

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson Spoke on Africa at SAIS on March 31
Johnny Isakson, Republican senator from Georgia and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on African Affairs, discussed "American Foreign Policy and Africa" on Thursday, March 31.

SAIS Hosted Forum on Aging in Latin American on March 30
Riordan Roett, director of the SAIS Latin American Studies Program; Arie Kapteyn, director of the Labor and Population Program and senior economist at the RAND Corporation; Renato Veras, professor at the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro and director of the Open University for Studies on the Elderly at AARP; and Raquel Egusquiza (moderator), vice president of multicultural markets at AARP, discussed "Aging in Latin America: Implications for Growth, Development and Relations With the United States" on Wednesday, March 30 as part of the "Year of Demography" at SAIS.

SAIS Hosted Forum on U.S.-South Korean Relations on March 29
Lee Jae-oh, Korean minister of special affairs, discussed "Leadership Matters: The U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) Alliance in the Lead Up to 2012" on Tuesday, March 29 at the National Press Club, followed by a panel discussion featuring Karl Jackson, director of Asian Studies at SAIS; Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation; and Meredith Broadbent, senior adviser and Scholl Chair in International Business at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Click here for video of this event.

SAIS Hosted Korean National Assembly Member Chung Mong Joon on March 29
Chung Mong Joon, member of the Korean National Assembly, Korea chair of the U.S.-Korea Inter-Parliamentary Council and a SAIS graduate, discussed "Korea's New Security Paradigm" on Tuesday, March 29.

SAIS Hosted Symposium on the Future of the Humanities on March 29
Cultural Conversations at SAIS and the Council of Independent Colleges held a daylong "Symposium on the Future of the Humanities" with experts from academia, foundations and the arts on Tuesday, March 29. Click here for coverage of this event.

SAIS Hosted Event on Public Diplomacy and Social Media in Latin American on March 29
On Tuesday, March 29, SAIS hosted a discussion on "Public Diplomacy and Social Media in Latin America" featuring Judith McHale, U.S. under secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, and Nelson Cunningham, chair of NDN's Latin America Policy Initiative. The event also featured a panel discussion with Christopher Sabatini, senior director of policy at the Americas Society and Council of the Americas; Carlos Ponce, Reagan Fascell Democracy Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy; Oscar Salazar, founder and CEO of Citivox and co-founder of Cuidemos el Voto; Ricardo Amado Castillo, consultant and researcher with George Washington University; and Sam DuPont (moderator), policy analyst at NDN and the New Policy Institute.

SAIS Names New American Co-Director of Hopkins-Nanjing Center
SAIS has named Jason Patent as the new American co-director of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies (HNC), effective May 1. Based in Nanjing, Patent will be responsible for the management of the center’s affairs with the Chinese co-director, as well as the administration of the recently established master’s program—the first Sino-U.S. M.A. degree accredited in both countries—and the certificate program. Click here for more information.

SAIS Hosted Forum on Azerbaijan on March 18
On Friday, March 18, Frederick Starr, chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute; Eldar Ismailov, founder and chairman of the Institute of Strategic Studies of the Caucasus; and Nazim Muzaffarli, editor-in-chief of The Caucasus and Globalization Journal and former parliament member in Azerbaijan, discussed a new study entitled, Basic Principles for the Rehabilitation of Azerbaijan's Post-Conflict Territories. Jahangir Hajiyev, chairman of the International Bank of Azerbaijan and co-chair of the Britain-Azerbaijan Business Council, provided commentary and announced Azerbaijan’s commitment of $60 billion for post-conflict reconstruction.

SAIS Hosted Forum on Italian Mafia on March 16
On Wednesday, March 16, John Buretta, senior counsel to the U.S. assistant attorney general and assistant U.S. attorney of the Eastern District of New York; David Cardona, deputy assistant director of the Criminal Investigative Division at the FBI; Giannicola Sinisi, attaché for justice affairs at the Embassy of Italy; Luca Scognamillo, Italian National Police liaison at the Embassy of Italy; and Kurt Volker (moderator), managing director of the Center for Transatlantic Relations, discussed "Is the Mafia Done or On Its Way Back?"

SAIS Hosted Book Event on U.S.-EU Economic Relations on March 15
On Tuesday, March 15, João Vale de Almeida, EU ambassador to the United States, delivered the keynote event address at the launch of Center for Transatlantic Relations Executive Director Daniel Hamilton's new book, Europe 2020: Competitive or Complacent?

Professor David M. Lampton Named JHU Gilman Scholar
David M. Lampton, director of the China Studies Program and dean of faculty at SAIS, has been named a Johns Hopkins University Gilman Scholar, a new distinction honoring colleagues who exemplify the highest ideals of the university, as demonstrated through distinguished research and scholarship, artistic and creative activity, teaching, mentoring and service. The honor is named for Daniel Coit Gilman, the first president of JHU and a champion of the idea that universities best advance humanity by pursuing simultaneously both great teaching and path-breaking discovery. Click here for more information.

Hopkins-Nanjing Center's Jessup Moot Court Team Excels in China Competition
Hopkins-Nanjing Center's Jessup Moot Court Team, comprised of students Shirlene Yee, Yang Yao, Stanley Seiden, Wang Chao and Max Massa, made it to the semifinals and placed sixth in all of China. Seiden was selected as the No. 1 oralist, and the team's remaining oralists all placed in the top 15 in the entire competition, which took place in Jinan in February. The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is the world’s largest moot court competition, drawing participants from more than 500 law schools across 80 countries. The HNC and SAIS join the small minority of participants that are not law schools. The China-based team, a first for the center, is led by international law professors Feng Chuan, Thomas Simon and Steven Hill. Click here for more information.

SAIS Hosted Discussion on Unrest in Maghreb Region on March 10
William Zartman, professor emeritus at SAIS, and Karim Mezran, a SAIS graduate and an adjunct professor of Middle East Studies based at the Bologna Center, discussed "Political Upheaval in the Maghreb: Paths and Choices" on Thursday, March 10.
 

SAIS Hosted Forum on Green Economies on March 9
Achim Steiner, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme; Kate Gordon, vice president of energy policy at the Center for American Progress; Richenda Van Leeuwen, senior director of energy access at the United Nations Foundation; and David Jhirad (moderator), director of the SAIS Energy, Resources and Environment Program, discussed "Growing Green in a Crowded, Carbon-Constrained World" on Wednesday, March 9. 

Turkish Ambassador Namik Tan Spoke at SAIS on March 7
Namik Tan, Turkish ambassador to the United States, discussed "Turkey in Europe, the Middle East and Beyond" on Monday, March 7.

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Spoke at SAIS on March 4
Edita Tahiri, deputy prime minister of Kosovo, and Enver Hoxhaj, foreign minister of Kosovo, discussed "Kosovo After the Elections: The Challenges Ahead" on Friday, March 4.

JHU Provost Lloyd B. Minor Spoke About Future of Higher Education at SAIS on March 3
Lloyd B. Minor, Johns Hopkins University provost, discussed "At What Cost? Charting the Future of American Research Universities" on Thursday, March 3. Click here for video of this event. Click here for a copy of his remarks as prepared for delivery.
 

CNN’s Anderson Cooper Spoke at SAIS on March 2
Professor Fouad Ajami hosted CNN anchor Anderson Cooper at SAIS on Wednesday, March 2 for a discussion with students about his experiences covering the recent turmoil in the Middle East. 

SAIS Hosted Conference on the Future of Africa on March 1-2
On March 1-2, SAIS hosted a conference entitled, "Africa's New Era: Learning From the Past and Preparing for the Future,” featuring Jerome Okolo, executive secretary of the National Think Tank for Nigeria and executive vice chairman of GeoQuintiq Limited, as a keynote speaker. Click here for a full agenda of the event.