NYU Center on International Cooperation, at 30, to Join NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service

The NYU Center on International Cooperation (CIC) is joining the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service after a long and constructive tenure at NYU Arts & Science.  This strategic transition to a prominent graduate school of public service founded in 1938 will facilitate mutually productive CIC-Wagner engagement and support CIC in broadening its mission and strengthening its influence in the New York and global public service communities. The CIC transition to Wagner will take place over the coming months, with full integration expected by the start of the 2026-27 academic year.

The move comes as CIC marks its 30th anniversary, a milestone that not only celebrates representing NYU through three decades of leadership in global governance and multilateral action but also positions the center for its next phase of growth. The formal integration with Wagner reflects a close alignment of organizational values and goals and opens opportunities for the collaborative advancement of, and a stronger connection between, influential public service research and practice.

Since its founding, CIC has worked to nurture cooperation among governments, international organizations, coalitions of various actors, and the broader public service community to promote strong, just and inclusive societies through engagement and action at the local, national, regional, and global levels. The transition to Wagner will enable CIC to build on this legacy by enhancing existing relationships and initiatives, developing new institutional partnerships, and expanding avenues for impact. 

NYU Wagner Dean Polly Trottenberg announced the move, stating, “We are so pleased that the Center on International Cooperation and its team of policy researchers and practitioners will be joining us at NYU Wagner. CIC has extensive experience building effective governance and conducting influential, results-oriented applied research in countries around the world. We look forward to CIC’s contributions to our academic and public service mission, as well as to deep engagement and collaboration with our faculty, students, the larger Wagner community, and beyond.”

“CIC has established itself as a premier center to promote multilateralism and the building of peaceful, ethical, and equitable societies around the world,” said Ann Morning, the NYU Arts & Science divisional dean for the social sciences. “Arts & Science is delighted that the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service is stepping in to bring the center into a community of experts in policy and public service at NYU that will be able to support and advance CIC’s mission in exciting new ways.”

Paul Smoke, CIC acting director and a Wagner faculty member, will become the center’s executive director, ensuring leadership continuity during the transition. Smoke expressed his commitment to “developing strong institutional and operational ties between CIC and Wagner.” He added that “the shared values and mission of CIC and the Wagner School provide a foundation for an innovative and productive partnership grounded in their complementary expertise and approaches to promoting the public good.”

The move is occurring as both CIC and Wagner are developing new strategic plans to guide their next phase of growth and impact. These efforts offer prospects for strengthening their respective and collective paths forward, expanding engagement with students, faculty, and diverse actors across the broader public service community, and actively connecting research, policy, and practice in a world that needs creative thinking and decisive action to respond to new and evolving global and local challenges.