FSI announces new Ford Dorsey International Policy Studies program

A generous gift from Susan Ford Dorsey has allowed FSI and the School of the Humanities and Sciences to establish the Ford Dorsey International Policy Studies program (Ford Dorsey IPS). The gift, which has been matched by the university to give the program a multi-million dollar endowment, will expand the longstanding International Policy Studies program from a one-year to a two-year course of study, with more full-time faculty, new seminars, training in policy advocacy, and new policy specializations. These new changes to the program will link IPS students more closely with Stanford's international policy research centers and programs in FSI.

Dedicated to the study and analysis of the international system, the Ford Dorsey IPS program seeks to expose students to the full range of complex policy issues they will face in the 21st century and to develop the knowledge and analytical capabilities they will need to address those issues successfully. The program provides a group-based practicum involving real-world problem solving, allowing students to focus on the expansion of the global economy, problems of developing and transitioning societies, security issues, and the global environment. Stephen J. Stedman, Ford Dorsey IPS director and FSI and CISAC senior fellow, notes that "these changes will further enhance the quality of the program while maintaining a dynamic, intimate student learning experience."

A private dinner was held on Feb. 7 to celebrate Susan Ford Dorsey's magnificent gift. Gareth Evans, president and CEO of the International Crisis Group, addressed Ford Dorsey supporters, faculty, and students with a talk on "Making Idealism Realistic: The Responsibility to Protect as a New Global Norm."

Ford Dorsey's enduring investment in training future policymakers at Stanford fulfills one of the key priorities of the International Initiative of the Stanford Challenge, to address global international problems by leveraging Stanford's cross-disciplinary and collaborative research and teaching.