Take a journey through the past and explore Northwestern's rich international history by (re)discovering significant milestones and memorable moments; from early global engagement opportunities and an increasingly international student and faculty body to the interdisciplinary study abroad programs and innovative global collaborations that Northwestern is known for today.
We hope these chronicles will inspire you to continue Northwestern's global journey and further build on the university's proud tradition of global engagement and leadership.
2024: Northwestern Language Resource Center Launch
2023: Medill partners with WHO to train journalists on reporting on noncommunicable diseases
2022: Ryan Center for Global Primary Care established to improve health systems around the world
2022: Northwestern Qatar launches new flagship institute on the global south
2021: World-renowned conductor and professor Victor Yampolsky retires from Bienen School after 38 years
2021: Northwestern elected Secretariat of U7+ Alliance
2021: Northwestern scientists publish decarbonizing concrete blueprint
2021: Northwestern Pritzker School of Law honors Kenyan Judge
2021: Northwestern astrophysicist partners with Chilean scientists to discover stellar stream
2021: Northwestern President addresses Korean "Innoversary" Summit
2020: Israel Innovation Project launched to advance Northwestern’s technological and scientific partnerships with Israeli institutions
2020: Global Engagement Studies Institute (GESI) offers first virtual rendition of its program
2020: SESP Launches Dual-Degree Master’s Program with The Chinese University of Hong Kong
2020: Global classroom partnering grants provide students with international experiences during pandemic
2020: Northwestern given honor of hosting Global U7+ Summit
2019: Alumni orchestra performs in South Korea
2019: Several international units join Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Affairs
2019: Northwestern President Morton Schapiro signs new partnership agreement with Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City
2019: Weinberg College creates Intercultural American Studies Council
2019: University creates China Liaison role
2019: Weinberg College Center for International and Area Studies created
2019: Northwestern hosts Yidan Prize Conference Series on global education
2019: New research center to support Chicago’s bilingual population
2019: Award-winning "Caravans of Gold" exhibit debuts at Northwestern
2019: Institute for Global Health established
2019: Buffett Institute holds inaugural "Idea Incubation Workshop," awards $150,000
2018: Northwestern partners with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
2018: Northwestern and Universität Hamburg formalize partnership
2018: First joint Summer Institute between Northwestern and the Sorbonne Nouvelle held in Paris
2018: Northwestern’s Symphony Orchestra tours Asia
2018: Bozhong (Peter) Xue wins inaugural NAA President’s Award
2018: Northwestern appoints Associate Provost for Global Affairs
2018: Northwestern hosts Fulbright Sub-Saharan Africa orientation
2017: Northwestern President Schapiro speaks at global forum plenary in Korea on the future of higher education
2017: Block Museum's exhibit "A Feast of Astonishments" debuts in Austria
2017: Block Museum affirms commitment to global program and global collection
2017: Sara Tully named new director of integrated study abroad office
2017: Northwestern dedicates new building on Doha Campus
2017: Center for Water Research enters global partnership
2017: First cohort of engineers ventures abroad on Global Engineering Trek
2017: Northwestern partners with Royal Conservatoire in Scotland for yearly performance at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
2017: Global Poverty Research Lab established
2016: Global Humanities Initiative launches Global Humanities Translation Prize
2016: New Northwestern study abroad program studies post-conflict mental health in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina
2016: Dévora Grynspan named Vice President for International Relations
2016: Medill launches "Medill Explores" program for journalism graduate students
2016: Northwestern chemist wins Nobel Prize
2016: First Northwestern Yenching Scholar named
2016: Northwestern medical faculty member appointed Nigeria’s Minister of Health
2015: Northwestern Alumni Association launches Global Ambassadors program
2015: Northwestern Law helps launch new law school in Qatar
2015: Global alumni event kicks off inaugural celebration
2015: Northwestern wins grant for partnership with Cuban university
2015: Kaplan Institute launches Global Humanities Lab
2015: Cuban music students and faculty visit Northwestern
2015: $100 million gift transforms Buffett Center
2014: Northwestern and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore establish joint research institute on nanotechnology
2014: Northwestern delegation travels to Israel, committing to expanding partnership with Tel Aviv University
2014: Top Chinese business school joins Kellogg EMBA Network
2014: "We Will" campaign focuses on local and global engagement
2014: Mandela Washington Fellowship program established at Northwestern
2014: First cohort of Youn Social Impact Scholars named
2013: International Office launches "NU In," an in-country orientation program for incoming international students
2013: Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies established
2013: Northwestern wins NAFSA's Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award
2013: Donald Pritzker Entrepreneurship Law Center offers Massive Open Online Course
2013: Middle East and North African (MENA) program created
2013: Establishment of Asian Languages and Cultures Department
2012: McCormick Engineering establishes Global Initiatives program
2012: Global Language Initiative established
2012: NU-Q releases first "Media Use in the Middle East " study
2012: Cross-disciplinary “Access to Health” initiative launches
2012: Kellogg institutionalizes popular global student trip program
2012: Wanxiang Fellows Program launched
2012: Equality Development and Globalization Studies Program (EDGS) created
2012: Arryman Grant Fellows and Scholars Program created
2012: International Risk Assessment Committee created
2011: First international members join Northwestern Board of Trustees
2011: "Global City Berlin" summer study abroad program created with Humboldt Universität
2011: Northwestern partners with Peking University
2010: In first year at Northwestern, President Morton Schapiro visits Northwestern stakeholders in Asia
2010: Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought in Africa (ISITA) launches academic journal
2009: Northwestern named #1 Research Institution for Fulbrighters
2009: Center for Global Health established in Feinberg Medical School
2008: International Office launches annual "Enjoy an American Thanksgiving" for international students
2008: Office of the Provost announces new immersion language grant program
2008: Northwestern University in Qatar established
2008: First Annual Kellogg China Business Conference
2008: Kellogg Global Lab established
2007: Improvised music conference brings international performers
2007: International Peer Advisor Program launches
2007: Summer Internship Grant Program leads to international work experiences
2007: Global Engagement Studies Institute (GESI) launched for undergraduate students
2006: Northwestern partners with the Davis United World College Scholars Program
2006: Center for International and Comparative Studies renamed Buffett Center
2006: GlobeMed student group founded at Northwestern
2006: Law School's Executive LLM program introduces partnership with Spanish law school
2005: Medill School's IMC Global Experiences Begin
2005: Northwestern Law hosts first Global Village event
2005: Center for Innovation in Global Health Technologies (CIGHT) established in Engineering School
2005: Keyman Modern Turkish Studies Program founded
2005: Student Group GES founded to engage students in global, social justice issues
2005: Northwestern establishes financial aid program for international students
2005: Northwestern enters into partnership with Stellenbosch University
2004: Global Health Studies program established
2003: Meghan Markle, future Duchess of Sussex, graduates from Northwestern
2002: University chorale embarks on European tour
2002: Kellogg establishes Joint EMBA Program with York University’s Schulich School of Business in Canada
2002: Medill Journalism Residency in South Africa established
2001: International Institute for Nanotechnology established
2001: Feinberg professor opens healthcare clinic in Bolivia
2001: International Executive LLM established
2001: First Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship awardee from Northwestern
2001: First public health study abroad program established with Universidad Panamericana in Mexico
2001: First Mitchell Scholar from Northwestern
2000: Latin America / Latino Studies Program established
2000: First Northwestern Circumnavigator Award recipient
2000: Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought in Africa (ISITA) established
1999: Asian American Studies program established in Weinberg College
1999: Law School develops International Team Project (ITP) course to prepare students for the global legal market
1998: Center for International Human Rights established in Law School
1998: Northwestern alumnus and first-ever Israeli wins MacArthur Genius Grant
1998: Office of Fellowships created
1998: International Program Development office founded
1998: Kellogg and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology partnership begins
1997: Study Abroad Office established
1997: Beginnings of Sciences Po partnership
1996: Stephen Fischer named first Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education, increases global opportunities for Northwestern students
1996: Kellogg establishes joint EMBA Program in Germany with the WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management
1996: French Interdisciplinary Group (FIG) was created
1996: Britain-born Luke Donald, who later became the number one golfer in the world, attends Northwestern
1996: Beginnings of Kellogg's flagship program, the Global Executive MBA
1996: Princess Diana visits campus
1995: Henry S. Bienen becomes 15th President of Northwestern University, leads way to greater internationalization
1994: Center for International and Comparative Studies founded
1990: Undergraduate Research Grant Program established
1990: Kellogg launches Global Initiatives in Management Program
1986: Soviet jazz group performs at Northwestern
1986: Gary Saul Morson arrives at Northwestern
1984: Northwestern signs first comprehensive agreement with University of Seville
1981: Center for the Study of U.S.-Japan Relations established
1981: International Studies Residential College established
1980: First Luce Scholar named
1975: Northwestern’s Traffic Institute Police Administration Training program (TPATP) creates international division
1974: Richter International Scholars Program for independent undergraduate study abroad established
1974: Canadian Studies Program established
1972: African American Studies Program established
1970: Future Vice President of Guatemala attends Northwestern
1968: Russian Department organizes five-week summer study abroad trip to Soviet Union for 27 Northwestern students
1966: Saxophone quartet tours Asia and Oceania
1966: First British Marshall Scholar named
1966: Irwin Weil arrives at Northwestern
1965: $1.9 million Ford Foundation gift enables establishment of international studies program
1964: First Churchill Scholars from Northwestern
1961: Office of Foreign Student Adviser established
1961: Future Prime Minister of Sweden attends Northwestern
1961: Northwestern holds first International Week
1960: AIESEC chapter established at Northwestern
1959: Swedish actress Ann-Margret attends Northwestern
1955: First mention of a "Foreign Student Advisor"
1955: Northwestern hosts Model UN Assembly
1954: Northwestern Committee on International Students stages "An Evening with India"
1954: Africana Library established at Northwestern
1950: New Medill School program brings foreign journalists to US for training
1949: First Northwestern Fulbright Scholars named
1948: Program of African Studies founded, first in the U.S.
1948: German-born Kurt Schwerin develops foreign law library at Northwestern Law School
1946: Record number of foreign students, mainly from Scandinavia, enroll at Northwestern
1942: Northwestern medical professionals deployed in World War II
1940: Northwestern chemists' discovery changes the tides of WWII
1931: Revolutionary scientist arrives at Northwestern
1929: Northwestern's Indiana Jones joins faculty
1929: Donor gifts $3 million for business studies abroad scholarship
1927: Medill School organizes summer feature writing tour to Europe
1927: Renowned African studies scholar arrives at Northwestern
1926: Students and alumni embark on European educational tour
1926: Dental School adopts new policy to enroll students from outside US
1924: Parisian regisseur and world traveler joins Northwestern School of Speech
1924: Northwestern students compete in Paris Olympic Games
1921: Marie Curie receives Honorary Degree from Northwestern
1920: Northwestern history professor returns after a year of study abroad
1920: German-educated Walter Dill Scott becomes 10th President of Northwestern
1917: Northwestern opens hospital in Dannes-Camiers, France, during World War I
1916: Upon graduating from Northwestern, Chinese student returns home and becomes advocate for women's rights
1915: Danish architect designs Shakespeare Garden
1914: Graduate School Dean's travels through Europe during WWI
1909: Northwestern trustee establishes foundation to promote international peace
1909: Department of Scandinavian Languages established
1908: Cosmopolitan Club established to bring American and foreign students together
1908: First Northwestern student awarded Rhodes Scholarship
1906: German-educated 8th President of Northwestern begins tenure
1873: Northwestern's first foreign-born President begins tenure
1870: Schulze-Greenleaf Library establishes Northwestern as center for international learning
1870: First recorded international student attends Northwestern
1859: Brazilian-born student among Northwestern's first graduating class