Garrick Utley, President, The Levin Institute

The mission of the Levin Institute is to be distinct and bold in its approach to our world as it grows more complex, competitive and often insecure. Sweeping technological changes are forging new levels of economic, commercial and social exchange. At the same time the world remains stubbornly divisive and distinct.

The Levin Institute trains students to live and work effectively in this new global environment. Levin's core competence is built on Cross-Management: the ability to manage effectively across borders and cultures. The successful manager of the 21^st Century will be defined by the ability to operate successfully across divisions of nationality, ethnicity, religion and languages as well as political, economic and regulatory environments.

Cross-Management will provide our students with the tools and the mindset not only to manage existing divides, but also to master and innovate new and evolving practices. By integrating management skills with international relations, the Levin Institute moves beyond standard business school programs that have often become highly technical in focus. It also adds a "real world" dimension to the graduate level study of international relations which often emphasizes theory over practical knowledge.

As an independent institute within the larger State University of New York (SUNY) system, the Levin Institute is part of the largest comprehensive state university system in the United States. Located in the heart of New York City, the Institute is ideally suited to provide students and working professionals the skills needed to succeed in today's rapidly changing and challenging world. Our academic programs prepare students for taking on leadership roles, solving complex problems and making decisions in situations involving multiple cultures, jurisdictions and organizational environments.

Four decades ago, Marshall McLuhan, the media sage, looked at the emerging technology of international communication and commerce and proclaimed, "We now live in a global village." It hasn't turned out that way. Today, we live in countless villages of different sizes and cultures that are connected globally. It is the mission of the Levin Institute, through its courses, conferences, research and international outreach, to prepare students to live and work effectively in this new global environment.