The President's Global Innovation Fund (PGIF)

Launched in March 2013 by President Lee C. Bollinger, the President’s Global Innovation Fund offers support for faculty to develop projects and research collaborations within and across the University’s nine Columbia Global Centers, increasing global opportunities for research, teaching, and service.

The Columbia Global Centers are a network of regional hubs around the world, created to enhance the quality of research and learning at the University. The nine Centers are located in AmmanBeijingIstanbulMumbaiNairobiParisRio de JaneiroSantiago, and Tunis. The projects may be based in one or several of these cities, or in other locations in the Centers' regions that can leverage this global network. This engagement enables each Center and its staff to provide support, counsel, and a network of contacts to supplement existing research and programming goals. Current and past projects based at our Center include:

Enhancing the Research Component of the History Major

This program aims to expand the research opportunities for undergraduate History majors doing senior theses on European history topics or on topics in other fields using sources from European archives. Since 2014, eight to ten rising seniors have conducted four to six weeks of research in European archives and libraries, culminating in a three-day workshop in July at the Paris Center, with two graduate student mentors and two Columbia faculty members. This workshop is an opportunity for students to get to know one another and to collaborate intensely as a group. It is a transformative experience that significantly improves their thesis projects.

Previously led by Susan Pedersen, Gouverneur Morris Professor of History, the program is now directed by Charly Coleman, Associate Professor of History.