Gallup, UNL join in Washington, D.C.-based master's on global leadership

Global leadership is the emphasis for a new educational venture combining the University of Nebraska and The Gallup Organization.

Beginning in April, a new learning center in Washington, D.C., will be the site for the first cohort class in a master of arts in business program emphasizing global leadership. Faculty will include University of Nebraska-Lincoln instructors and Gallup senior scientists such as Newt Gingrich, Richard Florida, Deepak Chopra, Dalia Mogahed, N. Joyce Payne and Lance Tarrance.

Led by UNL economist John Anderson, and Bruce Avolio, director of the Gallup Leadership Institute at UNL, the program will teach leadership foundations, global assessment, individualized concentrations in areas such as urban planning, international trade, health care and Muslim studies; and well-being, harmony and understanding. The program will be taught in intensive "modules" or nine-day instructional blocks at sites in the U.S. and abroad, along with projects conducted by students at their own locations during intervening periods.

The global leadership emphasis incorporating the use of a new Gallup World Poll is a unique approach, and features faculty focused on global economic, social, and political conditions and leadership dynamics from a broad range of perspectives. The M.A.'s emphasis on global leadership teaches future leaders how to make sense of the "world state of mind" and to use a world view to frame strategies, policies and create jobs.

Gallup featured faculty for the program will include author and speaker Chopra, founder and director of educational programs at the Chopra Center for Well-Being; John Esposito, professor of religion and international affairs and of Islamic Studies at Georgetown University; Florida, a leading social theorist and author of the bestseller, "The Rise of the Creative Class"; Gingrich, political analyst and former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Mogahed, a strategic analyst and executive director of Muslim studies at The Gallup Organization; Payne, director of the Office for the Advancement of Public Black Colleges of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges; and Tarrance, a strategist, author and consultant in the fields of public policy, public opinion, public affairs and electoral behavior.

Part of the global leadership program will center on the results of Gallup's World Poll, a first-ever worldwide tracking study of public opinion. Gallup will continually survey a cross-section of citizens in 130 countries on a series of key indicators, including leadership, law and order, food and shelter, work, economics, health, well-being and the engagement of citizens. The results of the poll will be available to cohorts of the Global Leadership program for 10 years.

"The inclusion of the Gallup World Poll clearly makes this master's program emphasis unique," said Anderson, associate dean in the UNL College of Business Administration and Baird Family professor of economics. "It will be one of very few programs in the country with an orientation toward global leadership, and its foundation in the partnership between Gallup and the university will make it a highly prestigious and valuable program."

The announcement and discussion of the program will be in conjunction with a forum 4-6 p.m. Jan. 16 at The Gallup Organization, 901 F St. NW in Washington, D.C., where "Re-Thinking Global Leadership" will be discussed. Scheduled to be on hand for the forum are Gallup CEO Jim Clifton, NU President James B. Milliken, UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman, Gingrich, Florida and UNL faculty members.

Among topics for discussion at the forum are:

* Latest findings from Gallup's World Poll;
* New thinking in global leadership development;
* Discussion among guest faculty and senior scientists at Gallup on the unique collaboration for the master's program emphasizing global leadership; and
* The continuing Gallup/UNL partnership and collaborative innovation on becoming global leaders.

"By developing this MA degree program with Gallup, we can more effectively take our research and teaching expertise into national and international classrooms," Anderson said. "Graduates from our joint program will be able to make positive and substantial contributions to the global economy. They will be trained to understand fundamental social and economic trends, implement the latest economic and business insights for promoting human well-being, and employ shared leadership skills. One of the greatest legacies of our partnership will be a cadre of effective leaders around the globe."

CONTACT: Matt Norquist, The Gallup Organization: (402) 938-6184; or
Meg Lauerman, Director, University Communications, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, (402) 472-0088