On September 15, 2016, The Walsh School of Foreign Service officially launched its partnership with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Washington Center through the International Affairs Seminar Series. The series kick-off event, hosted at Georgetown University, featured remarks from Dean Joel Hellman, as well as a lecture from Carol Guthrie, Director of OECD Washington Center. Students learned about the history of OECD and its role in the international community.
“The OECD Washington Center is exceedingly pleased to launch this collaborative seminar series with the Walsh School of Foreign Service,” said Guthrie. “Because global issues require solutions that make sense not only today, but tomorrow, we see the participation of Walsh students alongside OECD experts and officials as a vital part of this exciting exchange.”
Dean Hellman introduced Guthrie, and reflected on the value of the SFS-OECD partnership. “The OECD is doing compelling research to inform practical policy choices addressing not just the challenges of rich countries, but also those faced by the poorest and most fragile countries,” he said. “This is core to our educational mission at the School of Foreign Service and we look forward to building a stronger partnership with the OECD.”
“All of us at MSFS are truly excited by this new partnership with the OECD,” said Tony Arend, Director of the Master of Science in Foreign Service, and Senior Associate Dean of Faculty and Graduate Affairs at the School of Foreign Service. “We are looking forward to collaborating in a variety of areas to prepare our students to better serve the global community.”
The International Affairs Seminar Series continues on Friday, October 7, with the high-level event “The Integration of Migrants and Refugees.” The event will feature a keynote address from OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, followed by a high-level panel of experts on migration and the refugee crisis. For more information, please visit the event site here.