"The International Initiative will enable Stanford to continue making meaningful contributions to international problem solving, and no other university is better positioned to accelerate the teamwork that today's problems demand."

Coit D. Blacker and Elisabeth Paté-Cornell
Faculty leaders of the International Initiative

The end of the Cold War brought a period of great optimism about the future of societies around the world. Reduced tensions between the superpowers promised a period of peace, and the accompanying improved trade relations promised greater economic prosperity. But more recent events have shattered much of that optimism—from genocides in Rwanda, Bosnia, and the Sudan; to widespread poverty in the developing world; to conflicts in Chechnya and the Middle East; to the seminal tragedy of 9/11. These are complex problems requiring multifaceted solutions. Through Stanford's International Initiative, experts from across the campus are working on these and other problems from multiple perspectives, approaching them as opportunities for transformative solutions.

View the online documentary, "A World of Change: The International Initiative at Stanford."

Chip Blacker appeared on the 25 December Forum program, speaking with KQED's Michael Krasny about the important work that The Stanford Challenge and the International Initiative are making possible. Listen.

Discover more about the International Initiative in action on the Stanford Story Bank.

Stanford on iTunes U offers a wide range of Stanford Challenge–related digital audio, including programs about The International Initiative. Requires iTunes. More >>