Since its inception, the Program in International Relations at Tufts University has devoted itself to two intertwined objectives:  the promotion of responsible, engaged citizenship through international education and dialogue, and the fostering of intellectual excellence through a curriculum that integrates disciplines in the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences without compromising academic rigor. In the process it has grown into one of our most popular majors, and earned an admirable reputation that extends well beyond Tufts.

Today both components of the Program's dual mission are being put to the challenge. Under President Lawrence Bacow's leadership, the university as a whole has embarked on a major drive to further raise our collective level of academic excellence. The troubled conditions of our time, meanwhile, call out for a new generation of leaders dedicated to public service, educated in the dynamics of deepening globalization, and proficient in foreign languages and cultures. The Program in International Relations at Tufts must rise to both challenges by attracting and highlighting faculty who combine cutting edge scholarship with innovative curricula appropriate to the needs of today's students.

I am confident that working together, we -- the students, faculty and staff of International Relations -- will meet those challenges, and in doing so ensure that our Program continues to earn the prominent reputation it has acquired.

Malik Mufti, International Relations Program Director