In the global context of the 21st century, a diverse population and an inclusive school climate are essential components of an international affairs education. Today’s complex issues require innovative ideas and perspectives of people from different backgrounds, cultures, and places.

As a top-10 school of international affairs, we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to prepare a more diverse generation of leaders who are well-equipped to see differences as a pathway to greater creativity, deeper learning, and an expanded capacity for impact.

SIS is committed to creating a more diverse and better prepared generation of leaders in the field of international affairs. SIS pursues this mission through the following actions:

• actively recruiting students from historically underrepresented groups through the creation of strategic partnerships and pipelines
• offering programs and events to raise awareness about diversity and inclusion issues in the international affairs field and to invite all members of the SIS community to collaborate on expanding professional pathways of historically underrepresented students
• preparing all students to successfully engage with a wide variety of people, ideas, cultures, and traditions
• fostering a climate of relationship building and support to create an increasingly inclusive community among all who work and study at SIS
• utilizing the SIS Dean’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion to identify and implement actionable improvements in the school’s diversity and inclusion each year
• working under the umbrella of AU's Plan for Inclusive Excellence