In July, the University launched its new Watson School of International and Public Affairs. Led by Dean John Friedman, the school aims to expand the University’s scope in the field by combining various disciplines and revamping its Master of Public Affairs program.
The Watson School’s transition from an institute is “a way to elevate the presence of the Watson Institute into something that’s much broader and more prominent at Brown,” Friedman said in an interview with The Herald.
The idea of becoming a school stemmed from the faculty, he added. Faculty had expressed interest in the Watson Institute transitioning into a school prior to the pandemic, but it wasn’t until the spring of last year that the faculty and the Corporation formally approved the shift, Friedman said.