Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Joins Strategic Thinkers Program of the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 15, 2019
The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense have partnered to offer the Secretary of Defense Strategic Thinkers Program (STP), a highly selective, graduate-level initiative in which a small group of talented military officers will obtain a Master’s in International Public Policy through the school's Strategic Studies academic faculty. Students admitted into the one-year program will typically consist of mid-grade (O4-O5) officers from each of the four military branches, with a minimum of ten years active duty experience.
Established in 2018 as one of then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis' initiatives to develop intellectual capacity and regain a focus in the art and science of warfighting, the program will enable students to study under world-class scholars and practitioners, immerse themselves in the conceptual dynamics and trends of power, war, and use of force, and consider their role in the development of effective strategic thinking, decision-making, and successful execution of military operations.
“As a result of constant change and global uncertainty, there is a pressing need for creative solutions in security policy,” said Dean Vali Nasr. “The importance of this partnership cannot be understated since the program will enhance the knowledge base for a select group of military leaders who will be tasked with solving the nation’s most challenging national security problems in the future."
Once coursework is completed, STP graduates will leverage their enhanced strategic thinking skills and abilities in demanding headquarters staff assignments at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, on the Joint Staff, or attached to a combatant commander's staff or other four-star headquarters. These appointments will require graduates to deal with unanticipated security challenges and seek innovative approaches in order to engage our nation's top civilian and military leaders on the development and conduct of military operations in the broader context of national policy objectives.
Media Contacts
Jason Lucas
Communications Manager
Johns Hopkins SAIS
office: +1 (202) 663-5620
mobile: +1 (202) 422-2652
[email protected]
Office of the Secretary of Defense-Contact
CDR Mark "Burger" McLean, USN
OUSD Personnel & Readiness, Force Education & Training, PME
4000 Defense Pentagon, Room 1E537
Washington D.C. 20301-4000
+ 1 (703)-692-4176
[email protected]
About Johns Hopkins SAIS
A division of Johns Hopkins University, the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) is a global institution that offers students an international perspective on today's critical issues. For 75 years, Johns Hopkins SAIS has produced great leaders, thinkers, and practitioners of international relations. Public leaders and private sector executives alike seek the counsel of the faculty, whose ideas and research inform and shape policy. Johns Hopkins SAIS offers a global perspective across three campus locations: Bologna, Italy; Nanjing, China; and Washington, D.C. The school's interdisciplinary curriculum is strongly rooted in the study of international economics, international relations, and regional studies, preparing students to address multifaceted challenges in the world today. For more information, visit sais-jhu.edu or @SAISHopkins
About U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense
The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is the principal staff element of the Secretary of Defense in the exercise of policy development, planning, resource management, fiscal, and program evaluation responsibilities. OSD includes the immediate offices of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense, Under Secretaries of Defense, Director of Defense Research and Engineering, Assistant Secretaries of Defense, General Counsel, Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, Assistants to the Secretary of Defense, Director of Administration and Management, and such other staff offices as the Secretary establishes to assist in carrying out assigned responsibilities.
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