THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Campus and Community Partners
A Global University
As a global university in a global city, the University of Chicago offers countless opportunities for students to attend events, meet eminent visiting speakers, and pursue varied and diverse perspectives directly relevant to their research and interests. Students in the Committee on International Relations program engage in these events as part of completing their MA degree.
A few events from 2023 highlight the university’s ongoing connections to the broader global affairs community:
- On March 24, the Chicago Project on Security and Threats, led by Professor Robert Pape, held the 2023 Hagel Lecture, featuring former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, for a discussion on “Russia, Ukraine, and the Future of Liberal Order.” You can watch the video here.
- On September 2023, the Chicago Project on Security and Threats, led by Professor Robert Pape, held an event on defending American democracy as the 2024 election approaches. You can read about the event here.
- UChicago’s Institute of Politics regularly holds events relevant to, and attended by, CIR students, and hosts numerous Pritzker Fellows who bring their real-world expertise to campus. Recent events included Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth, former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, a panel discussion on Chinese economic power, and a conference on disinformation and democracy. You can find upcoming IOP events here and watch past IOP events here. IOP also offers internship stipends for which CIR students are eligible.
- The Pozen Family Center for Human Rights hosts numerous events (see some of the videos here) and a newly-launched podcast.
- The Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Conflict has a regular speaker series, as do many of the university’s centers, ranging from virtual roundtables hosted by Global Centers in New Delhi and Hong Kong to a variety of events at the Chicago Center for Democracy.
During their time in CIR, students are encouraged to seek out the events and resources, at UChicago and beyond, that can help them excel academically and personally. The pages below provide information about centers on campus that offer research funding, career advising, and wellness activities.
Division of the Social Sciences
A Global City
CIR students also have opportunities to learn about global issues because of the organizations and institutions that also call Chicago home. For instance, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs (CCGA), one of the nation’s premier research-oriented thinktanks, offers extensive programming of interest to CIR students. Senator Tammy Duckworth recently spoke on Indo-Pacific strategy, a panel discussed accountability and impunity for human rights abuses in the Middle East and North Africa, and the 2022 Global Food Symposium explored how climate change and conflict are affecting global food security. You can find upcoming CCGA events here and watch past CCGA events here. In the realm of arts and culture, in autumn 2023 the Chicago Architecture Biennial showcased urban design innovations from across the globe. Chicago is a rich, diverse, and deeply international city that provides an ideal setting for graduate study.
"The CIR cohort is as tight-knit as it is diverse; its students come from all over the world—with various career and academic aspirations—and bond over the thesis writing process, course selection, and coffee in between classes. I particularly appreciate the friendships I’ve made through CIR - we all have a shared passion for IR and are able to share wisdom about potential career and/or academic opportunities."
- Gage Gramlick