By James Irwin
Doug Shaw, associate dean for planning, research and external relations at the Elliott School of International Affairs, will serve as the George Washington University’s first senior associate provost for international strategy, the university announced Friday.
The position, designed to be GW’s chief officer for international programs and engagement, will be housed in the Office of the Provost. It was created to enhance the international student experience and facilitate educational partnerships around the world.
Dr. Shaw’s new role at the university was announced during the open session of Friday’s meeting of the Board of Trustees. He will begin his new position July 15.
“I am grateful and enthusiastic for the opportunity to help represent, facilitate and coordinate the work of GW's extraordinary faculty, students and wider university community as we develop and fulfill our potential as a great global university,” Dr. Shaw said.
GW’s Vision 2021 strategic plan calls for an increase in international enrollment to represent 12 to 15 percent of the undergraduate student body and 25 to 30 percent of the graduate student body by 2021. International students at the university during the 2014-15 academic year made up 9.5 percent and 17.2 percent of the undergraduate and graduate populations, respectively.
"I'm thrilled to have Doug bring his expertise and enthusiasm to a role that is critical to the further implementation of the university's strategic plan," said Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Steven Lerman. "His extensive background in global policy and research and his deep knowledge of GW will not only foster meaningful collaborations for our faculty and students, but also enhance our ability to engage the international community both in D.C. and abroad."
An international affairs expert with extensive administrative and faculty experience, Dr. Shaw has served as associate dean at the Elliott School since 2008, where he supports the school’s research enterprise, including its nine institutes and centers and the offices of public affairs, graduate admissions and graduate student career development.
A senior-level position in the provost’s office dedicated to international strategy, Dr. Shaw said, will strengthen the university in several ways, including building GW’s capacity to represent the work of faculty and students to foreign governments, organizations and institutions. It also will build on the successes of faculty and students, he said, and reinforce GW’s reputation as a university at the center of global decisions.
“Head of state visits to the White House and State Department punctuate our academic routine,” he said. “The World Bank marks our sidewalks with ‘END Poverty’ logos because our campus is where they meet to wrestle with that challenge. Dozens of embassies are an easy walk from our campus. There is no better place than GW to major in the world, and we should continuously explore and develop the global opportunities our location opens to our students.”
As an assistant professor of international affairs, Dr. Shaw teaches courses and conducts research on nuclear proliferation and international security. His topical expertise includes nuclear terrorism, arms control, multilateral diplomacy, and U.S. foreign and national security policy process.
He previously served as director of policy planning for Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia and held administrative appointments during both terms of Bill Clinton’s presidency. Dr. Shaw holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service, Master of Arts and Ph.D. degrees from Georgetown in international relations and security studies.
