Unit Strategic Plan: School of
International Affairs
2014/2015 through 2018/2019
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PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Strategic Plan
2015 – 2020
and
Long-Term Goals to 2025
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Table of Contents
Introduction (Preamble) ...................................................................................................... 4
Vision .................................................................................................................................. 5
Mission................................................................................................................................ 5
Core Values ......................................................................................................................... 5
Goals, Critical Success Factors, Objectives and Strategies ................................................ 6
Goal One: Invest in People ..................................................................................... 6
Goal Two: Host a Diverse and Vibrant Academic Life .......................................... 9
Goal Three: Inspire Ethics .................................................................................... 11
Goal Four: Ensure Relevance and Academic Leadership..................................... 12
Goal Five: Achieve Global Reach ....................................................................... 13
Goal Six: Foster Sustainability ............................................................................ 14
Goal Seven: Ensure Sound Business and Governance Processes………………..15
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PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
STRATEGIC PLAN 2015-2020
Introduction (Preamble)
International affairs in the twenty-first century are driven by a particularly complex set of
global and regional trends and events. Some are confidently predicted or estimated, such
as globalization, world economic growth rates, population growth, demographic shifts
and widespread voluntary and involuntary migration of peoples, urbanization, expanding
resource demands, environmental changes, growing access to expanding communication
capabilities and computational capacities. Others are less clear but no less critical, such
as new scientific discoveries and technological advances or unique juxtapositions of
those already in existence. These all occur on a tapestry of politics, policy, economics
and government structures continually unravelling and being rewoven by changing global
needs and wants.
The School of International Affairs, an academic unit of the Pennsylvania State
University, a world class research university with outstanding academic and professional
capabilities, integrates practical and theoretical aspects of international affairs with the
uniquely accessible set of highly ranked specialized disciplines such as agriculture,
business, earth and mineral sciences, economics, education, engineering, geography,
health and human development, information sciences and technology, law, liberal arts,
science, technology and others to give students a well-rounded international affairs
education coupled with readily applicable specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities if
the student so chooses.
The School of International Affairs presents an interface between rigorous analytical
research and concrete applied questions of policy with global reach. The focus of the
School is on core functional policy problems that confront practitioners operating in
international contexts. Particular strengths lie in development policy covering diplomatic
relations, the economy, energy, education, the management of humanitarian crises and
natural disasters, the implications of science and technology for international affairs, as
well as national and international security.
The School prides itself on an excellent student faculty ratio offering close interaction
between students and a faculty made up of seasoned senior international affairs
professionals and world class researchers. The School currently offers the following
degrees: (i) a two-year Master of International Affairs (M.I.A.); (ii) a Joint Degree with
the Penn State Dickinson School of Law (J.D./M.I.A.); a generic UndergraduateGraduate (IUG) degree B.A./M.I.A. available to students from the Schreyer Honors
College and specific IUG degrees with the Department of Political Science/College of the
Liberal Arts (B.A./M.I.A. in International Affairs and Political Science and B.A./M.I.A.
in International Affairs and International Politics).
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The degree programs described above demonstrate, in part, the School’s commitment to
collaborate with other Penn State academic units in developing new programs and course
offerings, including joint programs, and strengthening existing one. To this end, it bears
mentioning that the School’s collaboration with some colleges at University Park, such as
Penn State School of Law and the College of the Liberal Arts. Discussions are well
underway for similar collaboration with the College of Education (which will encompass
the introduction of an IUG degree program and a dual-title master’s degree program).
Other areas that will be explored in future include, in particular, potential collaboration
with the Homeland Security Program at Penn State Harrisburg). The two units have had
exploratory discussions about this possibility and intend to pursue it.
Vision
Our fundamental and motivating vision is to ensure a long-term outstanding contribution
to the communities of international professional practitioners and academics nationally
and internationally.
Mission
The School of International Affairs (SIA) aims to contribute to the training and education
of that cadre of professionals by ensuring that its graduates are capable of successfully
addressing and leading decision-making on the existing and emerging international and
global issues facing the world. SIA seeks to be recognized as one of the top international
affairs programs in the world.
Core Values
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Excellence – Commitment to excellence in all our endeavors.
Academic Freedom – Commitment to ethical and scholarly questioning in an
environment that respects the rights of all to freely pursue knowledge and express
their views and opinions.
Integrity – Commitment to the principles of truth and honesty, and to act
equitably, ethically and fairly.
Service – Commitment to serve the community, at home and abroad.
Diversity – Commitment to respect the principle of diversity in our community
(faculty, staff and students).
Professionalism – Commitment to meeting the most rigorous expectations of the
professional community into which our graduates enter, whether government, the
private sector, military, relevant multilateral agencies, non-government
organizations, or academia.
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Goals, Critical Success Factors, Objectives, and Strategies
The School has developed the following six central goals to realize its mission and
vision:
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Invest in People
Host a Diverse and Vibrant Academic Life
Inspire Ethics
Ensure Relevance and Academic Leadership
Achieve Global Reach
Foster Sustainability
Ensure Sound Business and Governance Practices
Goal One. Invest in People: Attract and prepare outstanding graduate students for
challenging international careers and global opportunities.
Critical Success Factors:
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Graduation of outstanding graduate students annually with master’s degrees in
international affairs (the M.I.A., J.D./M.I.A. and B.A./M.I.A. degrees).
Ensure a diverse student body consistent with the SIA’s commitment to the core
value of diversity in all respects: gender, race/ethnicity, national origin, sexual
orientation and disability, and enhance the diversity that has characterized every
class cohort of the SIA since its inception.
Increased recruitment and retention of students from minority and historically
disadvantaged or underrepresented communities in Pennsylvania and other U.S.
states.
Securing grants for programs in international affairs in collaboration with SIA
faculty and in partnership with other Penn State faculty and academic units.
High level of quality employment and graduate placement secured by SIA
graduates.
Objectives:
Objective 1.1: Provide graduate education that is excellent in both scholarship and
professional training, including through experiential learning.
Strategies:
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Attract outstanding faculty among the PSU community to complement the SIA
faculty to teach classes and serve as advisers to master’s students through joint,
affiliate and visiting faculty appointments and the SIA Faculty Fellowship
program.
Bring internationally-recognized experts to PSU to provide courses (through
available fellowships, grants and the Fulbright program) and enhance
participation of external speakers in the Colloquium.
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Introduce new degrees to give students the flexibility to meet their individual
goals and to take maximum advantage of the offerings of the rest of Penn State:,
such as: a joint M.I.A./LL.M. degree, additional Integrated UndergraduateGraduate degrees with relevant undergraduate majors, Dual-Title graduate
degrees with other relevant graduate programs at the University Park Campus.
Develop a Ph.D. program within ten years. (Note: this requires providing support
packages that include multi-year commitments of competitive stipends and
assistantships sufficient to cover tuition, benefits, and research support. Funding
sources can include endowments, research grants, corporate sponsorship, revenue
streams from education and training activities (n-line courses, executive education
programs, etc.), and others. These are addressed in strategies throughout the plan.)
Admission to full membership of the Association of Professional Schools of
International Affairs (APSIA) at earliest possible opportunity.
Objective 1.2: Invest in a diverse student body to ensure outstanding results.
Strategies:
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Maintain a base of outstanding students in the master’s program by offering
competitive grants and scholarships.
Ensure increased diversity of the student body in terms of gender, race, ethnicity,
sexual orientation, disability and domestic/international ratios, as well as the
diversity of the disciplinary backgrounds of the student attracted to the SIA.
Recruit the highest level of graduate students from PSU, Pennsylvania, and other
U.S. states (bearing in mind that the program is increasingly attracting better
students, as visibly demonstrated by the 300 point rise in average GRE scores
among the entering class over the last five years).
Recruit international students through PSU alumni contacts and current students,
SIA initiatives, greater coordination between SIA and the Dickinson School of
Law’s LL.M. program on recruitment, and making available appropriate financial
incentives, such as scholarships.
Improve recruiting capabilities of the SIA web site through development of a
public affairs/publicity plan and a communications strategy to support recruitment
initiatives.
Focus student recruitment efforts and strategies at students from minority and
historically disadvantaged communities within Pennsylvania and other U.S. states
through targeted visits to historically black colleges and universities, participation
in graduate fairs that aim at reaching out to minority and underrepresented
students and by involving SIA minority alumni and current students to act as
enablers and role models in the recruitment through the SIA Student Ambassadors
program.
Provide special mentoring and academic assistance to students from historically
disadvantaged and underrepresented communities or institutions to help them
access resources to improve their analytical and writing skills with a view to
ensuring their retention and success in the School.
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Objective 1.3: Provide a high level of service and responsiveness to students’ needs.
Strategies:
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No later than the beginning of Academic Year 2016-2017, implement a
comprehensive plan for establishing student learning objectives and evaluating
student success.
Conduct orientation class for new students each Fall semester, including a teambuilding exercise in the first two weeks of the semester.
Mentor students to help them access university and community resources,
including programs aimed at increasing students’ awareness of the campus
diversity climate and special programs to improve analytical and writing skills.
Further develop the system for the provision of advice to students on academic
programs and assign them faculty advisers and master’s paper and thesis
supervisors.
Select and provide overall supervision of research assistants (RAs) and, where
applicable, teaching assistants (TAs).
Ensure the transparency of graduate student (work-study) employment and
selection of RAs/TAs and evaluation processes to make the process more open to
appropriately qualified students of diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Offer other financial aid, such as tuition waivers or grant-in-aid.
Hold orientation for new TAs each semester and, in particular, provide crosscultural support for international TAs.
Produce and update and distribute student handbook each year through the SIA
web site.
Objective 1.4: Provide resources for student internships and graduate placement in
professional opportunities worldwide.
Strategies:
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Generate internship opportunities by proactively engaging with entities
(governments, multilateral agencies, private sector, non-governmental
organizations, etc.) that may provide such opportunities to students.
Strengthen current programs and establish new ones aimed at increasing
opportunities for student placement, including: alumni talks, interactive alumni
networking files, regular professional development workshops, career services
visits to major entities in key placement centers, such as New York and
Washington, DC.
Ensure that SIA Career Services Office, SIA Director and SIA faculty work
together to create an environment that professionalizes, trains, and effectively
places students in exciting global careers.
Continue to work with students to help them plan internships consistently with
their academic and professional interests and career aspirations.
Help students compete for both internal (PSU) and external grants and
scholarships, such as: National Security Education Program Fellowship;
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International Research and Exchanges Board; American Councils for
International Education; and Fulbright.
Continually improve the SIA internship web page and career resource materials.
Goal Two. Host a Diverse and Vibrant Academic Life: Recruit and retain a diverse
and outstanding workforce (faculty and staff) to create a diverse climate and vibrant
intellectual life in the School of International Affairs
Critical Success Factors:
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Employment and retention of leading policy practitioners.
Employment and retention of leading research scholars of international standing.
Diversity of faculty body in terms of presenting a mix of policy and academicians,
the range of international experience they represent.
Enhancement of the diversity of the workforce (both faculty and staff) in terms of
demographics through a deliberate strategy of reaching out to potential qualified
applicants from minority and historically disadvantaged groups, including women
and people of color during faculty and staff hiring processes.
Securing grants for research programs in international affairs.
Active contribution to national and international policy debates.
Active scholarly publications to enhance faculty publication profile.
Active intellectual life within the school.
Proactive succession planning to maintain faculty profile.
Objective 2.1: Recruitment of faculty and staff
Strategies:
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Active recruitment of leading researchers in areas with a strong international
focus.
Active recruitment of leading policy practitioners with experience in international
affairs.
Active succession planning to maintain the profile, quality and research focus
areas of the faculty.
Attention devoted to diversity in all its respects in recruitment of faculty and staff
during hiring processes by reaching out to potential applicants from minority and
historically disadvantaged groups, including women and people of color.
Articulating clear standards against which to judge the success of the strategy for
enhancing diversity in recruitment.
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Objective 2.2: Active engagement with and promotion of policy debate
Strategies:
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Active engagement in debate, discussion, and public comment on current policy
questions in the field of international affairs.
Invitation of internationally engaged faculty from across Penn State and from
other institutions to participate in panel discussions, including in public forums.
Publication of one issue of the JLIA per annum devoted to a topical policy
question, managed by the SIA faculty.
Objective 2.3: Active promotion of world-leading scholarly activity
Strategies:
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Identification of and continually update core research focus areas of the school.
Raising research grants in the core focus areas of the school.
Promotion of research publications in the core focus areas of the school.
Linking faculty research actively to the teaching and graduate student training
program.
Working with the H. Laddie Montague Law Library and University Libraries to
ensure that they meet the research needs of SIA faculty.
Objective 2.4: Active use of the Journal of Law and International Affairs
Strategies:
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Use of JLIA to disseminate policy debates.
Use of JLIA to disseminate relevant scholarly reflection on current policy
questions.
Active engagement of internationally engaged faculty across PSU, as well as
other institutions to participate in the JLIA-framed debates.
Invite and encourage scholars and policy practitioners from outside Penn State to
engage with SIA and use JLIA.
Objective 2.5: Active intellectual life in the SIA
Strategies:
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Identification of core research focus areas.
Seminar series (brown bag) for the presentation of “formal” policy relevant
discussions by individuals and panels on topical issues.
Invitation of significant national and international presenters in research and
policy contexts.
Annual student research conference for the presentation of student capstone
papers (research and internship) as a compulsory part of the capstone project
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which will provide an opportunity to measure directly whether or not students are
achieving learning objectives of the School.
Establish awards for the best student publications.
Goal Three. Inspire Ethics: Graduate students with a commitment to conducting their
activities with the highest ethical standards.
Critical Success Factors
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Penn State’s School of International Affairs incorporates “ethical leadership” into
its branding, including in the behavior of faculty and staff.
Students are provided in-depth education in ethical issues.
Graduates demonstrate ethical behavior throughout their academic career.
Objective 3.1: All graduates understand the importance of ethical behavior in their
activities.
Strategies:
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Students are presented ethical issues as part of their introductory meetings with
the faculty and staff.
As far as is practical, incorporation of ethics or ethical dimensions in each course.
Ensure the integration of the concept of ethics into students’ understanding
through participatory activities by offering at least one experiential learning
module on ethics as part of the M.I.A. curriculum.
Examine students’ perception and evaluate students’ projects with a view to
assessing whether or not students have learned and understood the importance of
ethical behavior.
Ensure that faculty and staff behave ethically in their professional lives and
interactions.
Objective 3.2: Academic Integrity will be a guiding principle of the learning process
in the School of International Affairs.
Strategies:
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Emphasis on academic integrity throughout the learning process.
Adherence to University academic integrity and ethics guidelines.
Develop a process to incorporate academic integrity into the training of both
domestic and international students.
Review the content of ethics training every five years (or more frequently if
required) to stay in line with evolving ethical norms.
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Goal Four: Ensure Relevance and Academic Leadership.
Critical success Factors:
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Content of courses reflect the existing and emerging issues facing the world.
Students learn skills of immediate and long term use in the work environment.
Most effective pedagogy is used for the content of the coursework.
Relevant research of the highest quality is conducted by faculty and students.
Objective 4.1: Course content meets the needs of the ever evolving international
affairs community.
Strategies:
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Conduct a regular curriculum review to assess its relevance and effectiveness
in developing critical analytical thinking and providing training in the
professional skills necessary for SIA graduates to operate successfully in
international affairs.
Develop an assessment plan against which to assess some clearly identified
learning outcomes on a rolling annual basis, in addition to an overall five-year
periodic curriculum review.
Periodically use the Program Review metrics developed by the Graduate
School to monitor program quality and anticipate both problems and
opportunities, and take corrective action as may be needed and appropriate.
Coverage of the expertise necessary to operate in government, the private
sector, relevant multilateral agencies and non-governmental organizations that
confront global challenges, given that our student body is interested in a
diverse set of potential employment, beyond the traditional public sector.
Objective 4.2: Represent and seek support for the MIA degree program in the
academic, government, business, and NGO communities.
Strategies:
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Invite internationally-involved PSU faculty members to speak at SIA, for example
through the Colloquium and the SIA Fellowship Program.
Give presentations on the MIA graduate program as requested both within PSU
and outside.
Give “Road Show” presentations to undergraduate student groups at
informational meetings as appropriate at University Park and Commonwealth
Campuses as part of SIA’s recruitment drive.
Seek memberships and involvement in state and international organizations and
invite their representatives to become members of the SIA External Advisory
Board.
Strengthen the role of the SIA External Advisory Board in its advocacy and
support for the School and involve it in recruiting events, internship placements,
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SIA simulations and courses, networking and external partnerships, strategic
advice, individual Board member visits to participate in SIA activities, and
development and fund-raising.
Establish a SIA Executive Board comprising selected PSU faculty and deans to
advise and work with SIA Director and faculty on programmatic and curricular
issues and strategic refocusing of SIA, especially by adding coherence and
relevance.
Apply for grants to receive Muskie Fellows to study in master’s program.
Goal Five: Achieve Global Reach.
Critical Success Factors:
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Develop SIA as a leading player in global education.
Actively engage in the international and global discussion on issues of
importance.
Partner with other academic units within and outside Penn State.
Objective 5.1: Participate across University Park campus with other academic units
to ensure there is cross fertilization of content, methodologies, and capabilities to
benefit the student body and the research community.
Strategies:
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Provide opportunities for faculty from other academic units to teach occasional
courses in SIA relevant to international affairs as related to their field.
In the interests of full integration of SIA into PSU, negotiate reciprocal
arrangements with other academic units for SIA faculty to be involved in their
programs as may be appropriate (e.g. as affiliate faculty or research
collaborators).
Establish a research masters (MA and/or MS) program within SIA within five
years. (Note: this is critical for participation in Dual Title Degrees and for
establishment of a research doctorate program).
Encourage professors in SIA to participate with academic units outside SIA.
Participate in institutes and other programs throughout University Park campus
(examples: Penn State Institutes for Energy and the Environment (PSIEE) and
Penn State Sustainability Institute).
Objective 5.2: Creatively apply traditional and emerging approaches to tap the
expanding global education market.
Strategies:
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Consider development of specialized residential and possibly online certificate
programs for targeted markets and reevaluate them on a periodic basis (for
example: executive education).
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Establish online and long distance education opportunities for the MIA program
through the PSU World Campus, and improve SIA’s global reach by developing
an international training program that includes shared lectures with universities
abroad by utilizing the well-equipped communications and instructional
technology available in the Katz Building in which SIA is co-located with the
Law School.
Make use of the existing and emerging technology available in Penn State and in
the international community.
Develop an on-line for-credit course useful to demonstrate the content and value
of the SIA program.
Develop residential certificate programs with clearly defined learning outcomes in
specific fields of international affairs or generally.
Develop an on-line certificate program on the World Campus within 5 years.
Objective 5.3: Establish a global research and teaching presence.
Strategies:
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Establish collaborative relations with selected universities around the world for
research on topics of mutual interest.
Evaluate opportunities for exchange of students between SIA and international
universities.
Evaluate opportunities for temporary exchanges of faculty between SIA and
international universities.
Identify potential long term relationships with universities in other nations as
feeders to the SIA program. Initial opportunities include: China, Republic of
Korea and Turkey. (Note: this also serves Goal Seven).
Goal Six: Foster Sustainability
Critical Success Factors:
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Penn State’s School of International Affairs infuses sustainability into its branding
and curriculum.
Students are provided in-depth education in sustainability issues.
Graduates demonstrate a deep understanding of sustainability as a major topic in
the international community.
Objective: Establish an ethic of sustainability and life-cycle concepts in the student,
staff and faculty communities.
Strategies:
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Incorporate and/or reemphasize sustainability and life-cycle concepts into all
courses in the core curriculum, in particular INTAF 801 (Actors, Institutions, and
Legal Frameworks in International Affairs), INTAF 805 (International
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Economics: Principles, Policies, and Practices) and INTAF 590 (Colloquium on
Current Policy Challenges) so all students are exposed to the concepts.
Offer elective courses that emphasize concepts of sustainability.
Participate in Penn State’s Sustainability Institute and engage with it to assist the
School with curriculum development in areas relating to sustainability.
Encourage a culture of efficient use of resources and waste reduction within the
School among faculty, students and staff.
Goal Seven: Ensure Sound Business and Governance Practices
Critical Success Factors:
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External:
o All students understand and can contribute to leadership with a
sustainable, long-term and systems world view.
o Provide opportunities for graduates to participate in the long term
development of SIA.
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Internal:
o Organizational:
 Build toward long term external funding sources.
 Build long term relationships with sources for students.
 Build long term partnerships with other schools and organizations.
o Academic:
 Conduct professorial succession planning.
Objective 7.1: Ensure SIA’s long term viability
Strategies
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Raise annual cohort of students to 50 within two years and to 74 within 5 years.
Successfully participate in opportunities to improve financial freeboard such as
grants and contracts, professional education, offering on-line courses, and others,
all of which is critical for establishing a Ph.D. program.
Establish long term relationships with private industry, NGOs, and government
agencies.
Identify potential candidate schools and programs as feeders to SIA, both
domestic and international.
Increase the IUG degree footprint on campus.
Establish close relationships with international universities.
Establish relevant opportunities for close participation with government agencies
and corporations as training grounds to meet their needs.
Establish an opportunity for veterans returning to school after deployment.
Objective 7.2: Model Sustainable Behavior.
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Strategies
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Conduct succession planning for faculty and administration.
Increase opportunities for students and alumni to participate in the long term
viability of SIA, including such activities as strategic and long-term planning;
fundraising; etc.