Vice Provost for International Activities Duane Boning oversees MIT’s global policies and partnerships. He explains that international engagement is central to MIT’s strength because it enables collaboration with top partners, access to facilities and research environments unavailable domestically, monitoring of worldwide progress, and close ties to the world of ideas and innovation. MIT’s mission—to advance knowledge, educate students, and develop innovations that serve the nation and the world—requires understanding and shaping the global science‑technology landscape. Breakthroughs now arise across continents; talent, labs, and technologies are distributed worldwide. MIT must look beyond its borders, collaborate where it advances the mission, and prepare students for a changing world. Collaboration is not unlimited; MIT welcomes it while applying risk‑based safeguards to protect sensitive research, intellectual property, and national security.
International collaboration keeps MIT and the nation at the forefront of knowledge and innovation. It attracts and educates tomorrow’s leaders—students, faculty, and researchers from the United States and abroad—and fuels MIT’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. Historically, MIT has thrived by drawing the world’s best talent, many of whom remain permanent contributors in the United States, teaching, delivering breakthroughs, and founding startups. For instance, MIT researchers in Singapore tested autonomous‑vehicle technology years before suitable U.S. facilities existed, and partners off Portugal’s coast are developing next‑generation deep‑ocean monitoring systems unavailable at home. These experiences enrich MIT’s overall research agenda.
In a more uncertain world, MIT remains steadfast in its mission while tightening risk‑evaluation and mitigation processes to engage responsibly in new opportunities. Geopolitical shifts, evolving federal funding priorities, regulatory complexity, mobility restrictions, and competition for global talent pose challenges. MIT cultivates relationships across industry, government, and the global alumni community for research, and expands international experiences for undergraduate and graduate students to broaden their worldview. Investing in new regions positions MIT to adapt to changing global circumstances. International engagement deepens MIT’s impact, strengthens innovation, and enables students and researchers to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
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