Backgrounder

The Balsillie School of International Affairs is an independent academic institution devoted to the study of international affairs and global governance. It was founded in 2007 by Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of RIM (Research In Motion), and is a collaborative partnership between The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), The City of Waterloo, the University of Waterloo (UW) and Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU).

Through its doctoral and masters degree programs, the Balsillie School will cultivate an interdisciplinary learning environment that develops knowledge of international issues from the core disciplines of political science, economics, history and environmental studies.

Building on CIGI’s research activities, along with UW’s and WLU’s graduate programs in global governance, the Balsillie School of International Affairs aspires to be counted among the elite academic institutions of international study. To advance the School’s ambitious goal, a critical mass of extraordinary experts continue to be assembled to understand, explain and shape the ideas that will create effective global governance. To date, the following Chairs have been appointed:

Jennifer Clapp – Environment and Food

Jorge Heine – Diplomacy and Human Rights

Eric Helleiner – Finance and Money

Thomas Homer-Dixon – Global Systems

Maurice Kugler – Economics

 In September 2008, Dr. Ramesh Thakur was appointed the inaugural director of BSIA. He is responsible for providing academic leadership to the school’s doctoral and masters degree programs and its significant research work in the field of international affairs.

With its extraordinary experts and superb new teaching facilities, the Balsillie School is poised to give students the best possible foundation for their professional lives, while preparing them for the global challenges that lie ahead. Additionally, they will be imbued with the innovative spirit that has become the hallmark of Waterloo Region.

The Balsillie School will be built on 3.5 acres of city land at the site of the former Seagram distillery, located between Caroline and Erb Streets, next to CIGI, in Waterloo. Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB) of Toronto will design the Balsillie School's new building. The project will be directed by Bruce Kuwabara, design partner, and Shirley Blumberg, partner-in-charge.

The construction costs of the new building will be shared with the Balsillie School’s partners, while CIGI will operate the facility. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2009 with completion expected in 2010.