The Tufts Daily
Initiative for Global Leadership
For more than three decades, the Initiative for Global Leadership’s offerings have connected theory to practice, engaged students in the complexity of global issues, and developed new generations of effective and ethical leaders. Aligned to the mission and vision of Tisch College, IGL has grown into a vibrant platform for local and global partnerships, student programs, courses and service opportunities, and groundbreaking research focused on robust, inclusive democracy.
Tisch College embraces student-led, transformational learning opportunities that build the skills of local, national and global civic leadership and welcomes the opportunity to build on IGL’s strong legacy of student leadership, global impact and a robust and engaged alumni network.
The work of Tisch College’s Initiative on Global Leadership (IGL) is generously supported by the Cummings Foundation.
The IGL "Signature"
Taken together, these define IGL’s distinctive approach that creates a transformational impact on students, and a multiplier effect on Tufts, and the wider community.
- Creating a rigorous, intellectual community
- Educating to embrace complexity and ambiguity
- Providing transformational, educational experiences that connect theory to practice
- Fostering effective and ethical global leadership development
- Focusing on cutting-edge global issues with an inter-disciplinary lens and an understanding of systemic change
- Learning through student-centered and student-led experiences and interaction with scholars and practitioners
- Nurturing lifelong learning and an intergenerational community
Annual International Symposium
The annual symposium is a multi-day convening on critical international issues that brings together students, scholars, experts, practitioners and activists.
Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship (EPIIC)
EPIIC is a carefully integrated, multidisciplinary program. Through its innovative and rigorous curricula and projects, EPIIC prepares young people for informed activity in their communities, whether locally, nationally, or globally.
Empower Program for Social Entrepreneurship
The Empower Program for Social Entrepreneurship educates, mentors, and motivates aspiring social entrepreneurs at Tufts.
Inquiry Program for High School Students
Inquiry is a global issues simulation program for high school students.
Oslo Scholars Program
The Oslo Scholars Program (OSP) offers undergraduates with demonstrated interest in human rights and international political issues an opportunity to attend the Oslo Freedom Forum in Norway and spend their summer working with some of the world’s leading human rights defenders and activists.
Projects for Peace
Projects for Peace is a global program that partners with educational institutions to identify and support young peacebuilders.
Tufts Initiative for Leadership and International Perspective
The Tufts Initiative for International Leadership and Perspective (TILIP) is a program that seeks to foster cross-cultural team building through intensive intellectual inquiry and practical study.
Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award
The Dr. Jean Mayer Global Citizenship Award was established in 1993 in honor of Jean Mayer, tenth President of Tufts University (1976–1993), to challenge and inspire our students and the community.
IGL Student Groups
Student groups affiliated with IGL host weekly meetings, events, speaker forums, and promote discourse on global issues and topics. These groups include, Alliance Linking Leaders in Education and the Services (ALLIES), Amnesty International, Engineers Without Borders (EWB), Middle East Research Group (MERG), South Asian Regional Committee (SARC), Latin American Committee (LAC), and Women in International Relations (WIIR).
Student Group Spotlights
ALLIES Civil-Military Relations Conference 2025
This fall, ALLIES hosted the 12th annual Civil-Military Relations Conference on the theme, "Friends and Friction: Strategic and National Cultures in Flux," hosting 20 cadets from the U.S. Naval Academy and West Point, and speakers of all backgrounds.
Middle East Research Group (MERG) 20th Anniversary
On November 13, to celebrate the club's 20th anniversary, MERG hosted a virtual alumni meeting, connecting with members from the early days as well as recent graduates. We were able to hear about their career journeys since leaving Tufts, and how MERG has impacted and influenced their personal and professional lives. It was a great way to bring together past and present MERG members, and continue to showcase how special and impactful a space MERG can be!
Latin American Committee (LAC) in Georgetown
This November, LAC traveled to Washington D.C. to attend Georgetown University's Latin American Policy Group Conference (GU LATAM), a two day student-led conference on “Latin America’s Path Towards Sustainable Development."
Initiative for Global Leadership News
Chiang Mai: The Dynamic Classroom for These Tufts First-Years
From khao soi to sky lanterns, Class of 2029 Civic Semester students immersed themselves in Thai culture
Tufts’ Fulbright Fellows Embark on Global Journeys of Discovery
Eight Tufts alumni participating in the Fulbright U.S. Student program reflect on what they hope to learn from working and living outside of their home country
The Conversation
