Columbia University President's Report : Columbia in the World

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Columbia University has a long history of international study and engagement. It is reflected in the University’s mission to prepare students to navigate and lead in an increasingly interconnected world; the interdisciplinary nature of Columbia’s academic programming; its international partnerships; its contributions; and the diverse backgrounds of its students, faculty, and alumni. Columbia’s global commitment is also rooted in the belief that academic institutions are uniquely equipped to provide the kinds of analyses and perspectives needed to inform policy and increase world understanding of the critical issues of our time. A series of University-wide initiatives—from an annual World Leaders Forum to the recently created Committee on Global Thought—are focusing Columbia’s significant intellectual resources on this important mission and are providing a safe haven for conversations that broaden global understanding and lead to solutions for some of the world’s most vexing problems.

Columbia is dedicated to giving its students the critical knowledge needed to contribute to our complex and increasingly global society. In December 2005, President Bollinger announced the formation of the Committee on Global Thought. Led by Nobel laureate and University Professor Joseph Stiglitz, this faculty committee is aimed at ensuring that Columbia’s curricula and other programming gives students what they need to understand about globalization-related issues and policies.

The forces creating a global community are powerful and novel.