School of Global Affairs

Committed to creating an equitable, ethical and sustainable future

Group side silhouette men and women of different culture

Our values and ethos

The Lancaster School of Global Affairs takes a bold and distinctive place-based approach, drawing on arts, humanities, languages and social sciences to mutual understanding and an inclusive, equitable future. Languages and cultures are what make us distinctively human and are thus at the forefront of our ambition to remake Global Affairs.

We engage with international agencies, governments, think tanks, academia, charities, business and global trade and humanitarian organisations to confront the planetary challenges of our times. We are a respected voice in national and international debate and have influence on the critical issues. We are research-led and much of what we do relies on in-house expertise in the languages and cultures of different parts of the world.

We are committed to equitable, ethical and sustainable futures – in which human qualities and differences have clear value.

The twenty-first century has seen dramatic shifts in the global order, with a pandemic, new technologies, territorial wars and struggles over climate targets and truth.

These are the Global Affairs of the Lancaster School:

  • the exploration and regulation of Artificial Intelligence
  • the negotiation of environmental futures
  • thinking and acting on medical and health challenges
  • critical and informed engagement with all truth claims – against the general backdrop of a new global security environment

We are a place of academic excellence, engaged in the highest quality research. We also believe there should be spaces for creative, playful and quick thinking. We attract students who want to make a difference through ethical leadership and interdisciplinary knowledge and expertise.

3D icon of a digital map pin on Earth

A place of distinction

The Lancaster School of Global Affairs has developed a ‘place-based’ approach to research and education. We see aspects of the world in our place, not as a Laboratory but as a place of co-creation and innovation. What does this mean?

This approach places an emphasis on understanding and addressing the unique social, economic, cultural, and environmental characteristics and challenges of England’s North West. We have fine castles, the world-famous Lake District and other beautiful preserved landscapes.

We also have rising seas, changing climate, nuclear and post-nuclear landscapes, coastal communities and poverty, historical and contemporary prosperity, post-industrial environments, conflict over land – between farming and conservation – governance, and big tech and innovation.

  • Local focus: Research and interventions are tailored to the specific needs and characteristics of the North West to address distinct issues and opportunities.
  • Community involvement: Engaging local communities and stakeholders is central. This involvement ensures that research and solutions are informed by the lived experiences, knowledge, and priorities of the people in the area. Working with real people enhances our learning and research – seeing the role of complexity, history and compromise in finding future-oriented solutions.
  • Long-term commitment: We have a sustained commitment to the North West, not only through formal agreements but through spirit and ethos which has led to deeper understanding and stronger relationships.
  • Policy and practice integration: The findings from place-based research readily inform local and national policies, as well as practical interventions, ensuring that strategies are relevant and effective in the local context.
  • Equity and inclusion: Our approach aims to address inequalities by focusing on areas that may be underserved or marginalised. We work for fair and inclusive outcomes.
Wastwater in the lake district, view of still lake surrounded by mountains

Interdisciplinary by design

The School of Global Affairs offers four master’s degrees, each of which provides distinctive yet interconnected opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge, relationships and partnerships needed to meet the global challenges of our time.

Uniquely, the four programmes are built around a shared ethos and learning architecture. Programme-specific modules build in-depth knowledge of your chosen topic, while cross-programme modules offer global leadership skills and practical collaborations with strategic external partners.

Teaching, research and engagement activities are integrated across the four programmes, while opportunities to critically engage with global affairs, the environment, AI and health are embedded throughout. All four master’s degrees address these key themes through the lenses of the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Global languages and cultures

Our distinctive approach places language learning squarely in a global context. We see language learning as a means to enhance awareness and understanding of different cultures.

Our degree programmes offer the opportunity to acquire both high-level language skills and a thorough understanding of international cultures and societies. We provide beginners to advanced levels, covering contemporary aspects of the English-, French-, Spanish-, Chinese-, German- and Italian-speaking worlds.

We also offer a range of short courses via our Languages for All programme, which currently includes Arabic, Dutch and Korean as well as French, Spanish, Chinese, German and Italian.

Our popular MA Translation provides linguistic and technical skills for specialist industries such as legal, technical or medical translation.

Valuing people

We are committed to creating a fair and inclusive environment for our staff, students, partners and visitors. Equality, diversity and inclusion is an integral part of the School’s plans and activities.

Athena Swan

We are part of the University-wide effort to encourage and nurture gender equality and diversity in Higher Education. Since achieving the Bronze Athena SWAN award in 2019, our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion committee has been pro-actively working on initiatives to further enhance equality, diversity and inclusion.

Athena Swan
Athena swan bronze

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