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An interdisciplinary professional education. Renowned educators who double as distinguished policy practitioners. A network of executives and thought leaders at the forefront of addressing global issues. You’ll find all of this and more at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Established in 1943, SAIS was founded to meet the demands of a changing world. It’s known for innovatively blending international relations, economics and finance, international policy, cybersecurity and intelligence, and foreign languages with real-world learning. Whether you’re aiming to work in government, NGOs, the private sector, or multilateral organisations, you’ll graduate with the tools — and the global mindset — to make a real impact.
The experience is truly international. Through the two-year Master of Arts in International Relations, you can study across up to three continents. You could spend both years in Washington, D.C., or start your first year of study at the SAIS Europe campus in Bologna, Italy or the Hopkins-Nanjing Centre in Nanjing, China, and complete your second year of study in Washington, D.C. This cross-campus journey offers both academic depth and the cultural fluency you will need to understand global challenges from every angle.
Washington, D.C.
The Washington, D.C. campus is located on the iconic corridor of Pennsylvania Avenue, in the heart of the city. Housed in the state-of-the-art Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Centre, it is the hub of SAIS’ academic and policy activities.
The U.S. Capitol, the White House, the Department of the Treasury, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Department of Justice, the Department of Energy, and the Federal Trade Commission are all just minutes from the Hopkins Bloomberg Centre. SAIS provides rich opportunities for students seeking to enact change. Whether you’re attending a lecture, heading to an embassy event, or networking with alumni, opportunities to connect what you learn to the real world are always within reach.
Inside the Hopkins Bloomberg Centre, learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door. With 38 high-tech classrooms, a 375-seat theatre, dedicated spaces for group and individual study, cozy lounges, and rooftop terraces with panoramic views, the campus is built for both collaboration and reflection. You’ll engage with peers from nearby international relations schools, attend receptions, and take part in a thriving intellectual community that makes Washington, D.C. not just a backdrop — but part of your education.
Learn more about living and learning in Washington, D.C.
An education with rewarding career opportunities. Source: Johns Hopkins University.
SAIS Europe
The SAIS Europe campus is set in the heart of Bologna, Italy. Established in 1955, SAIS Europe began as an experiment in international education outside the U.S., welcoming only 10 students. Today, it’s grown into a diverse, tight-knit community of over 200 students from more than 40 countries, all bringing fresh perspectives to the classroom and beyond.
While smaller in size, the impact of SAIS Europe is anything but. You’ll study international economics, diplomacy, and policy with faculty and practitioners from across Europe’s top institutions. You’ll exchange ideas in small, discussion-driven classes and gain insights shaped by the European approach to global affairs. And when you step outside the classroom, you’re in a city that’s just as inspiring.
Bologna is a cultural and geographic gateway to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East —ideal for those looking to understand global issues in context. Between classes, you might find yourself sharing a coffee with a professor in a campus café, planning a weekend trip to another EU city, or squaring off in a friendly soccer match with students from the University of Bologna, Europe’s oldest university.
The Hopkins-Nanjing Centre
The idea of an academic partnership between the U.S. and China began in 1979 when Washington and Beijing established formal diplomatic ties. This idea was built on a shared vision: to train future leaders with the language skills, cultural understanding, and global perspective needed to navigate one of the world’s most important bilateral relationships. In 1986, the Hopkins-Nanjing Centre opened its doors to welcome its first 60 students.
What makes the experience truly one-of-a-kind is its bilingual, collaborative model. International students take most courses in Chinese, taught by Chinese faculty. Meanwhile, Chinese students take classes in English, led by international faculty. This immersive, two-way exchange creates a rare learning environment — one where ideas cross borders as naturally as the people who study them.
The Centre is located in Nanjing, a metropolitan city of more than 8 million people. Like its surroundings, the Hopkins-Nanjing Centre offers a mix of tradition and innovation. Here, you’ll have access to modern residence halls, high-speed internet, purpose-built classrooms, and a renowned research library with over 130,000 Chinese and English volumes — one of the top collections in China for international relations.
Learn more about the Hopkins-Nanjing Centre.
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