Three Watson Master of Public Affairs students and one alumna were named finalists for the prestigious Presidential Management Fellows class of 2024. They are now eligible to apply for positions as fellows in the federal workforce where they hope to make an impact on a variety of public policy issues.
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Watson Policy Labs, a new initiative of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, will enhance the link between teaching, research and public outreach by addressing specific policy issues through a combination of faculty research, student training, research-based courses and public outreach.
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A show exploring today's biggest global challenges with the world's leading experts, from the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Mark Blyth, political economist at Brown's Watson Institute, and Carrie Nordlund, political scientist and associate director of Brown's Annenberg Institute, share their take on the week's news.
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The Rhodes Center Podcast, hosted by Mark Blyth, features conversations with some of the most thought-provoking figures in international finance and economics. Mark and Brendan talk with scholars, policy makers, and finance experts about some of today's most pressing economic issues, and about how those issues affect our daily lives.
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Academic Programs

Focusing on three main areas — development, security and governance — the Institute leverages Brown's tradition of true interdisciplinarity to foster innovative, policy-relevant scholarly activities. Across all topics and fields, the Institute tackles the complexities of 21st century security threats, globalization and intractable inequalities. From Latin America to China, from the Middle East to India, the Institute's work helps us all make sense of the world.

Student Experience

The Watson Institute houses several undergraduate and graduate programs that take an interdisciplinary, comparative approach to policy-relevant learning in the social sciences. Our programs are designed to inspire today's engaged scholars and creative thinkers to become tomorrow's leaders in international and public affairs.

“ Watson's MPA has helped me develop the ability to take an unfamiliar issue and develop a product that will engage stakeholders and elevate my goals or those of the organization I work for. ”

– Aaron Ayala MPA Class of 2024

Centers, Initiatives and Programs

The Watson Institute is proud to house 11 region or topic-focused centers, initiatives and projects that are dedicated to research, teaching and outreach. These entities also serve as conveners, sponsoring informative events that inspire dialogue among scholars, students and the public.

learn more about our centers