Thanks to generous support from patrons who wish to strengthen its capacity to address major contemporary global challenges, the Graduate Institute has been able to create Chairs, which have allowed it to attract eminent experts.
In partnership with the Fondation Pierre du Bois pour l’histoire du temps présent, the Graduate Institute decided to create a Chair to honour the memory of Pierre du Bois, a professor at the Institute who died prematurely in 2007. The first holder of the Chair was Professor Michael Goebel, from 2018 to 2021. Since September 2021, he has been the Einstein Professor of Global History at Freie Universität, Berlin. A search for his replacement at the Graduate Institute is under way.
The Fondation Pierre du Bois has generously supported the Institute for 10 years, notably financing scholarships and a prize for students, as well as an annual seminar organised by the International History Department.
The Association for the Promotion and Study of International Security (APESI) has decided to fund a Chair for four years to encourage teaching and research activities in the area of international security. The incumbent is Professor Thomas Biersteker, who is also director of the programme on global governance.
This Chair, funded by the Hoffmann Foundation, is intended to make an important scientific contribution to the analysis of the impact on societies and the international system of environmental changes within the confines of finite natural resources. It also seeks to contribute to the search for collective responses to the problems generated by this challenge, including through close interaction with international actors (governments, international and non-governmental organisations, private sector) working in this area. The holder of the Chair is Professor Timothy Swanson, who is also co-director of the Centre for International Environmental Studies, and Imelda is Andre Hoffmann Assistant Professor in Environmental and Resource Economics.
The mission of this Chair funded by Mr Yves Oltramare for a 10-year period is to make an important scientific contribution to the analysis of the relationship between religion and politics in the contemporary world and its impact on the evolution of societies and the international system. It is also intended to contribute to the search for dialogue and responses to challenges arising from this relationship. The holder of the Chair is Professor Jean-François Bayart.
The Pictet Foundation for Development was created by Mr Ivan Pictet with a capital of CHF 25 million intended to support the establishment of a Centre for Finance and Development and the construction of the “Portail des nations”. The Centre brings to the Graduate Institute an important wealth of new competencies and enables the consolidation of existing resources at the crossroads between international finance, development economics and financial history, thereby bestowing international visibility upon a field with a promising future.
The Centre includes four Pictet Chair holders: Nathan Sussman, Director of the Centre, Ugo Panizza, Deputy Director of the Centre, Anna-Riikka Kauppinen, Kristen McNeill and Lore Vandewalle.
This Chair funded by Mr Nicolas Pictet for a period of three years has allowed the Graduate Institute to strengthen its expertise in the environmental field. The Chair holder was Jorge Viñuales, who is Adjunct Professor at the Institute and Professor at the University of Cambridge.
This Chair funded by the Segré Foundation for a period of five years allows the Graduate Institute to strengthen its expertise in the conservation field. The Chair holder is Bill Adams, who is Professor at the Institute.