Pardee School Signs Partnership with FUNGLODE to Advance Global Studies
The Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University has established a new institutional partnership with the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (FUNGLODE), marked by a master agreement signing ceremony featuring former Dominican Republic President Dr. Leonel Fernández, founder and president of FUNGLODE, and Boston University Provost Dr. Gloria Waters.
The ceremony, led by Pardee School Dean Scott Taylor and held at Boston University, brought together distinguished guests from both institutions, including members of the Dominican Republic community and Boston University faculty. The agreement extends beyond the Pardee School to include all 17 schools and colleges at Boston University, creating broader opportunities for collaboration.
“This is an unsettled time in international relations, and it presents unique challenges for international affairs scholars and institutions. It makes international collaborations and partnerships ever more important,” stated Scott Taylor, Dean of the Pardee School. “We need to pool our collective intellectual resources to address global problems, and institutional partnerships are force multipliers.”
Provost Gloria Waters emphasized how the partnership aligns with Boston University’s founding mission. “From the earliest days, Boston University really had as its mission providing students, not just with the tools that they need to succeed in the workplace, but also to understand their place in the larger world, and also to engage with other cultures,” she said.
Dr. Fernández shared FUNGLODE’s origins, explaining that he established the foundation in 2000 after leaving office. “The whole concept was to create a think tank in the Dominican Republic that will do research, organize events and the impact of globalization, not only in the Dominican Republic, but in Latin America in general,” he explained. During his remarks, he noted that while some suggest the world is de-globalizing with trends toward protectionism, he views globalization as a structural phenomenon continuing through different stages.
FUNGLODE maintains offices in New York with consultative status in the UN system, as well as presence in Coral Gables, Florida, Madrid, Spain, and a small office in Paris working with UNESCO on issues of culture, communications, and education.
“I think with all these tools coming together that we can have an impact in our students, in our communities,” Dr. Fernández concluded, thanking the Pardee School and Boston University for the partnership.