From trade to weather, AI to migration, the world is changing at a pace few have witnessed.

Like all good ideas, the School of Global Affairs has a simple aim; to bring together a world-leading curriculum, cutting edge research while building on long-established global partnerships and creating new ones.

“Students and professionals from these disciplines are creative, empathetic, critical, know how to make an argument, know how to write, know how to do research - and companies want to hire them!” said Professor Caron Gentry, the Head of School.

And she should know. As Head of the School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews, her critically-acclaimed research into terrorism and gender was agenda-setting while as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Arts, Design and Social Sciences at Northumbria University, she lobbied for subjects collectively known as SHAPE to be maintained.

“We're investing in global culture because of how much it will serve the region and the globe,” Professor Gentry said. “We are unafraid in the face of uncertainty to do something that perhaps we haven't seen anywhere else before.”

The School of Global Affairs will bring under one roof established subjects including History, International Relations, Languages and Global Cultures, Politics, Philosophy and Religious Studies and will allow greater collaboration at the University which has a gold rating in the latest Teaching Excellence Framework.

By offering undergraduate, masters, PhD and shorter courses, the school offers a wealth of opportunities to students from diverse backgrounds and wide-ranging interests highly sought after at a time of change.

From the exploration and regulation of artificial intelligence to the debate about ‘fake news’ and truth claims, Prof Gentry says there has arguably never been a greater need for informed, detailed debate.

“All of our programmes will have professionalisation and employability embedded alongside an excellent curriculum,” Professor Gentry said. “By creating a professional environment I want to build really strong partnerships.”

Externally Lancaster already has established links with the United Nations and a host of partners which allows effective, ‘real-world’ opportunities for gaining experience, something the new school will build on in the coming months.

The creation of the School of Global Affairs comes as the schools’ Associate Dean for Engagement, Professor Charlotte Baker, inspired the UN to pass a resolution calling for the worldwide elimination of human rights atrocities linked to witchcraft https://shows.acast.com/this-is-lancaster/episodes/witchcraft-accusation-in-the-modern-world

Manchester United’s Head of Talent, Raisa Richardson studied French and Spanish studies at Lancaster from 2008-2012. In a podcast series designed to mark the school’s creation she reflects on her time at Lancaster and the difference she believes the university has made to her career.

“Those days at Lancaster were all about building a network - it starts there,” she said and when it comes to having the edge over other candidates when it comes to recruitment she makes this observation: “Other colleagues and friends who are now looking for their next career move, you have that network already built.”

From global brands like Manchester United to governments, charities and think tanks, Lancaster University is poised to help graduates from our new School of Global Affairs make their mark.

“Lancaster University already has an incredibly rich legacy and heritage which we are going to build on to benefit the region, the UK and our links to the wider world,” Professor Gentry said.

The School will be creating an advisory board shortly and welcomes informal expressions of interest from alumni. Please contact Professor Caron Gentry for further details - c.gentry@lancaster.ac.uk