A landmark donation of $100 million from philanthropists James and Morag Anderson is set to revolutionize Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Europe campus in Bologna, Italy. This extraordinary gift, one of the largest ever to European higher education, will significantly expand opportunities for students and faculty worldwide, empowering them to tackle the complex challenges of our rapidly evolving global landscape.
Johns Hopkins University announced that the Andersons’ contribution will propel SAIS Europe into a premier international center for research and collaboration. The enhanced campus will serve as a hub, uniting leading academics and practitioners from across the globe. Their collective efforts will focus on training the next generation of international experts, developing multidisciplinary solutions to pressing global issues, advancing scientific and technological research in public policy, and fostering peace and democratic development.
Video credit: Renee Fischer / Johns Hopkins University
James Anderson, an Edinburgh-based investor, chairs the Johns Hopkins University SAIS Europe Advisory Council and is a member of the university’s board of trustees. An alumnus of SAIS Europe (1981) and a long-time supporter, Anderson’s commitment to the institution is profound.
University President Ron Daniels emphasized the transformative nature of the gift: “The gift from James and Morag Anderson is transformational. With it, SAIS Europe will further secure its role as a vibrant hub for scholarship, learning, and public policy at a critical juncture in global history. Among the most significant private philanthropic contributions ever made to higher education in Europe, it marks the Andersons’ belief in the unique role that universities can play in shaping and strengthening democratic society,” President Daniels stated. He further highlighted Johns Hopkins University’s long-standing mission since 1876 to address societal challenges through research, discovery, and service, noting that this gift will amplify the university’s global impact.
James Anderson articulated his belief in the critical role of SAIS Europe in shaping global leaders: “SAIS Europe has taught me that it is vital for leaders to think critically and imaginatively about complex problems that have no easy answers,” Anderson said. He stressed the importance of accessibility for talented students, regardless of financial means, and the need to expand Johns Hopkins’ global influence. “I believe that it is essential to make it possible for the most talented and engaged students to study with our faculty and each other in Bologna regardless of their ability to pay for it, and to create opportunities to amplify Johns Hopkins’ impact across borders and oceans. I believe in the vision for the university and for SAIS Europe, and I hope others will join me in helping us realize our ambitions.”
“The gift from James and Morag Anderson is transformational. With it, SAIS Europe will further secure its role as a vibrant hub for scholarship, learning, and public policy at a critical juncture in global history.” Ron Daniels, President, Johns Hopkins University
Founded in 1955, SAIS Europe has historically focused on international affairs and cooperation, particularly during the post-World War II era. Its Bologna location provides a unique vantage point, bridging connections between SAIS’s Washington, D.C. campus and its program in Nanjing, China, while also serving as a central point for academic, research, and collaborative activities across Europe, Africa, the Mediterranean, and beyond.
This substantial donation from the Andersons will solidify SAIS Europe’s position as the university’s European nucleus. It will foster interdisciplinary research across Johns Hopkins, building upon the university’s 70-year legacy in Europe as a leading institution dedicated to the creation and dissemination of knowledge for global betterment.
James and Morag Anderson are known for their extensive philanthropy in Scotland, supporting arts, education, sports, and youth initiatives. Their relationship with SAIS Europe began in 2001, and their prior support has been instrumental in the campus’s recent advancements, including renovations and investments in student financial aid and professorships. James Anderson’s personal connection to SAIS Europe dates back to his enrollment in 1981, following his history degree from Oxford University, where he specialized in international affairs.
Morag and James Anderson
Image alt text: Philanthropists Morag and James Anderson, whose $100 million donation in EUR will transform Johns Hopkins SAIS Europe campus in Bologna.
Image credit: Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University
In recognition of their extraordinary generosity, Johns Hopkins University will name the Bologna campus the James and Morag Anderson Campus in Bologna.
SAIS Dean James Steinberg emphasized the significance of the donation for the school’s future: “SAIS is renowned for bringing together leading scholars and practitioners to devise innovative solutions to complex issues of the 21st century,” Dean Steinberg noted. “The Andersons have now fueled our ambitious transformation to fulfill our vision for the future of SAIS Europe as the go-to institution for research, teaching, and public engagement on the pressing global challenges. It’s hard to imagine a more essential goal, nor a more critical time.”
Johns Hopkins SAIS is consistently ranked among the top institutions for graduate studies in international politics, economics, and foreign languages. It currently enrolls over 1,100 students across its campuses in Washington, Nanjing, and Bologna, with a global alumni network exceeding 20,000, including 8,500 Bolognesi alumni who studied in Bologna. SAIS Europe hosts around 200 students from 40 countries, supported by a core faculty and visiting professors from leading global institutions. SAIS Europe alumni hold leadership positions worldwide across diverse sectors.
SAIS Europe Director Michael Plummer highlighted the school’s historical contributions and future ambitions: “SAIS Europe has made significant contributions to international relations over the past 70 years, hosting some of the world’s most influential academics and practitioners, from Nobel Prize winners to prime ministers,” Director Plummer stated. “This gift will allow us to build on this stellar tradition and make SAIS Europe in Bologna the top destination for the education of current and future global leaders, from Europe and across the globe, who seek to apply evidence-based, forward-looking analysis to pressing, multidimensional policy issues for the betterment of the world. There is no other school or university better prepared to seize the attendant opportunities for research and education than SAIS Europe and Johns Hopkins.”
SAIS Europe’s Vision 2030: A Roadmap for the Future
The Andersons’ transformative $100 million gift in EUR marks the launch of SAIS Europe’s Vision 2030 strategic plan. This plan is structured around four key pillars: faculty expansion, the Integration Fund, financial aid, and facilities growth. The donation will empower SAIS Europe to deepen its collaborations with other European universities across various fields of global policy studies.
Expanding Faculty Expertise
A core component of Vision 2030 is the expansion of SAIS Europe’s full-time resident faculty. The Andersons’ gift will enable the recruitment of leading scholars and practitioners to enhance the curriculum, global reputation, and research capabilities in critical areas, including:
- Mediterranean Studies
- Global Risk Analysis
- Sustainable Development and Climate Change
- European Studies (encompassing Eastern Europe and EU integration)
- Emerging Technologies and International Relations
- Industrial Organization, Finance, and Market Dynamics
The Integration Fund: Fostering Global Collaboration
The Integration Fund is designed to strengthen the ties between SAIS Europe and other Johns Hopkins University schools and centers in the United States and China. Building upon a previous gift from the Andersons in 2017, this fund will be significantly expanded to support up to 20 faculty and staff exchanges annually. It aims to promote interdisciplinary teaching and research, creating a platform for leaders from Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East to convene and collaborate.
Enhancing Financial Aid and Accessibility
Graduate Fellowships: Investing in Future Leaders
Ensuring that a SAIS Europe education remains accessible and affordable for exceptional international students is a priority. The Andersons’ gift will establish new two-year fellowships for master’s students spending a year in Bologna and a year in Washington, D.C., alongside fellowships for students studying exclusively at the SAIS Europe campus.
Undergraduate Scholarships and Travel Support
Johns Hopkins undergraduates will also benefit through enhancements to the JHU and SAIS BA/MA Tuition Fund. This fund supports students pursuing a combined Bachelor of Arts at JHU and Master of Arts at SAIS over five years. The Andersons’ gift will expand this fund and strengthen the JHU/SAIS BA/MA program, aiming to create sustainable opportunities for undergraduate study at SAIS Europe in Bologna and increase undergraduate presence to 20 BA/MA students per year.
Modernizing and Expanding Facilities in Bologna, Italy
To create a world-class campus environment, SAIS Europe will expand its Bologna Center building by almost 3,000 square meters. The expanded campus will feature enhanced convening and conference spaces, a state-of-the-art language center, additional classrooms, and much-needed office space for visiting and resident faculty and staff.
Posted in University News
Tagged philanthropy, financial aid, sais europe
