UofT's Munk School gets $25 million from federal government for new centre on
global security

TORONTO, April 29 /CNW/ - The University of Toronto will receive $25 million from the federal government to create a new centre to study issues of global security, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today.

The Canada Centre for Global Security Studies will be established immediately at UofT's new Munk School of Global Affairs. Areas of interdisciplinary study will include the intersection between global security and cyber espionage, global health, and region-specific concerns, such as the Arctic, post-Soviet Europe, the new Asian powers, and the changing face of the Americas.

"Canada plays an active role in promoting global security at the G8 and through a broad range of other international activities," said Prime Minister Harper. "This new Centre will help us develop deeper expertise in addressing global security concerns."

UofT President David Naylor said the new federal funding will help Canada fulfill an urgent need to cultivate Canadian expertise on global security and address the policy implications for Canada.

"The new Centre will definitely help Canada play a more significant role in the global conversation and resulting policy actions on pressing security issues," Naylor said. "On behalf of the University of Toronto, I'd like to thank the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada for their support.

"With continuing concerns about global security, and the G8/G20 meetings taking place in Canada this June, the Government's action could not be more timely."

The Munk School of Global Affairs was the recipient earlier this month of a $35-million gift from Peter and Melanie Munk that will be used to dramatically expand UofT's research capacity, hire new faculty and expand facilities. Part of this gift will be used to establish the Canada Centre, as will an Ontario government commitment of $25 million in its 2008 budget to help build new facilities for the school.

"We were so pleased when the Government of Ontario was generous in its support of the new Munk School," said Munk. "We are thrilled that the Government of Canada has now offered its generous support of this new Canada Centre for Security Studies at the School. "There are no subjects in global affairs more important today than security issues. Global security is, of course, essential to Canada's national security. The School's leadership in the study of global affairs, and now the Centre's focus on security issues, will permit each to make important contributions to Canada's future role in the world."

Janice Gross Stein, Director of the School, said the Munk School of Global Affairs is uniquely positioned to undertake the Centre's ambitious agenda.

"Issues of global security will be a defining framework for our country over the next decade and beyond, and Canada needs a strong publicly supported research centre to put the Canadian voice on the international stage," said Stein. "Given our strengths, the Munk School is the natural place to house this new Centre.

"Moreover, the Canada Centre will be able to draw upon the expertise of some of the best and brightest Canadian minds at a number of our faculties, such as Law, Engineering, the Rotman School of Management and Medicine."

Stein said the Munk School will announce soon a new director for the Canada Centre. The director will be supported by a small staff.

Munk School of Global Affairs

The University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs is a hub for specialists in global affairs, providing innovative approaches to the challenges, organizations, and ideas that are at the frontiers of knowledge. Today, to become global leaders, students need not only the core functional disciplines, but also a deep understanding of the broader architecture and the forces that shape the global system. Against the backdrop of one of the world's most diverse cities, the Munk School is convening a vital dialogue about the forces that are reshaping the international landscape - creating an environment which will equip students to thrive in a world where working internationally demands not only professional skills but strategic agility and cultural fluency.

The University of Toronto

Established in 1827, the University of Toronto today operates in downtown Toronto, Mississauga and Scarborough, as well as ten renowned academic hospitals. The University of Toronto has assembled one of the strongest research and teaching faculties in North America, presenting top students at all levels with an intellectual environment unmatched in breadth and depth in Canada. UofT faculty co-author more research articles than their colleagues at any university in the US or Canada other than Harvard. As a measure of impact, UofT consistently ranks alongside the top five U.S. universities whose ideas and discoveries are most often cited by other researchers around the world. UofT faculty are also widely recognized for their teaching strengths and commitment to graduate supervision.

For further information: University of Toronto, Media Relations, [phone], [email protected]