Foreign Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins SAIS

What Foreign Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins SAIS does

The Foreign Policy Institute (FPI) is a non-profit research institute and think tank within the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), headquartered at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1980, the institute produces scholarly articles, reports, and the SAIS Review journal on foreign policy issues spanning U.S.-China relations, Southeast Asia, maritime security, North Africa, the Balkans, and other geopolitical topics. Its core products are publications (analytical articles and reports), expert commentary, public events, and a portfolio of named research initiatives including the Diplomatic Capacity Index, North Africa Initiative, Planetary Frontiers Initiative, Emerging Global Governance Project, Women Who Inspire, and the Zbigniew Brzezinski Initiative.

FPI operates through a small core staff (13 employees) supported by a network of approximately nine named Senior Fellows with deep policy and academic credentials — including a former Special Counsel to the U.S. Department of Defense, a former advisor to Senator Biden, a former President of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, and inaugural winners of the Scalapino Prize and Michael Leifer Memorial Prize. Fellows publish externally in South China Morning Post, Geopolitical Monitor, The Diplomat, Nikkei Asia, Foreign Affairs, and other international outlets, and appear on podcasts and at events.

The business model is non-commercial: all publications, articles, and events are provided free of charge, with funding flowing from Johns Hopkins University support, grants, and donations processed through JHU's secure donation portal, including the Betty Lou Hummel Endowment. There are no paid products, no pricing tiers, and no enterprise customers. The institute's "customers" in a functional sense are policymakers, academic researchers, journalists, and the interested public who consume its research output, while its economic backers are the parent university and donor base.

Name

Foreign Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins SAIS

Legal name

Foreign Policy Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies

Website

https://fpi.sais.jhu.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Foreign Policy Institute is a non-profit research think tank within Johns Hopkins SAIS that publishes scholarly analysis, hosts events, and runs named foreign policy initiatives serving policymakers, academics, and the general public through free content.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foreign Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), International Affairs (928120)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

International & Global Research Universities (Multi-Campus/International Footprint) (EDAHABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Business & Management Research Universities (EDAHABAE)

Keywords

• Foreign policy research
• International relations analysis
• Geopolitical policy studies
• Diplomatic research
• Think tank publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Foreign Policy Institute (FPI) at Johns Hopkins SAIS is a non-profit university research institute that produces scholarly articles, reports, and the SAIS Review journal on global foreign policy topics. It maintains a senior fellowship program of recognized experts who analyze U.S.-China relations, Southeast Asia, maritime security, global governance, and regional affairs, and it convenes public events and themed research initiatives (Diplomatic Capacity Index, North Africa Initiative, Planetary Frontiers Initiative, Women Who Inspire, Zbigniew Brzezinski Initiative, Emerging Global Governance Project) to bridge academic scholarship with policy practice.

Product overview

The Foreign Policy Institute (FPI) at Johns Hopkins SAIS is a policy research institute, not a technology product company. Its offering consists of scholarly publications (articles, reports, the SAIS Review journal), expert fellowships, public events, and named research initiatives. The core products are publications and analysis on foreign policy, supported by fellowship programs and thematic initiatives covering regions (North Africa, Southeast Asia) and topics (global governance, maritime security, climate policy).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Diplomatic Capacity Index: An initiative measuring and analyzing diplomatic capabilities and capacity of nations.
• North Africa Initiative
• Planetary Frontiers Initiative
• Zbigniew Brzezinski Initiative
• Women Who Inspire

Products and services

• Foreign Policy Institute Publications Analytical articles, reports, and commentary on global foreign policy issues including U.S.-China relations, Southeast Asia, maritime security, and international diplomacy, freely accessible via the FPI website.
• SAIS Review Scholarly journal covering international relations and foreign policy analysis, published by the institute as part of Johns Hopkins SAIS.
• Diplomatic Capacity Index An initiative that measures and evaluates diplomatic capabilities and resources across nations, providing comparative analysis of national diplomatic capacity.
• North Africa Initiative Research and analysis focused on political, economic, and security developments across North Africa, including events and publications on regional issues such as Mediterranean migration and Russia's strategic engagement in the region.
• Planetary Frontiers Initiative An initiative addressing emerging global governance challenges and policy frontiers, exploring areas such as cislunar space policy and other planetary-level issues.
• Emerging Global Governance Project A collaborative project examining evolving global governance structures and frameworks, hosted in partnership with the Global Policy Journal.
• Women Who Inspire An initiative highlighting women leaders and their contributions to foreign policy and international affairs.
• Zbigniew Brzezinski Initiative A named initiative honoring Zbigniew Brzezinski, former U.S. National Security Advisor, and supporting research in foreign policy and strategic studies.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFPI is an integral part of Johns Hopkins SAIS, one of the world's leading schools for international relations and policy studies. This affiliation provides institutional support, academic credibility, and access to a global network of scholars and policy experts.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: A large Washington, D.C.-based think tank producing research across foreign policy, economics, and governance. Directly comparable as a policy-research institution publishing analysis and convening events for policymakers, but with substantially larger scale and broader topic remit than FPI.
• Atlantic Council: A Washington, D.C. think tank producing analysis and convening on international security, economics, and democracy. Comparable in producing policy briefs, reports, and events for U.S. and allied policymakers, with broader portfolio scale than FPI.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): A prominent Washington, D.C. policy research organization focused on defense, security, and international affairs. Comparable in producing policy-relevant analysis for U.S. and international decision-makers, with overlap on Asia-Pacific and security issues that FPI covers.
• Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): A U.S. foreign policy membership organization publishing Foreign Affairs and producing high-level analysis and convening. Comparable in audience (policymakers, media, academics) and analytical format, though much larger in membership and editorial reach.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: A global foreign policy think tank with centers in Washington, Beijing, and other capitals producing scholarly analysis on international affairs. Highly comparable on mission and output format (analytical articles, regional expertise), with overlapping expertise on China, Southeast Asia, and global governance.
• RAND Corporation: A large policy research organization producing analysis on national security, international affairs, and public policy. Comparable in producing expert analysis for government and academic audiences, with overlapping expertise on Asia-Pacific security and international policy that FPI covers.

Regional players

• Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs): A London-based international affairs think tank producing world-leading research and convening. Comparable as an internationally recognized policy-research institute with similar publication and convening model, though based outside the U.S. and competing for global rather than Washington-centric attention.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): A global think tank with offices in London, Washington, and Asia producing strategic analysis including the annual Military Balance and Strategic Survey. Comparable as an internationally recognized security-focused research body, with substantial overlap on Asia-Pacific strategic analysis FPI covers.

Direct peers

• Stimson Center: A nonpartisan policy research center in Washington, D.C. focused on security, governance, and regional analysis. Directly comparable as a similarly sized think tank with overlapping coverage of East Asia maritime security—an area where FPI fellow James Borton is a non-resident fellow.
• Wilson Center (Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars): A nonpartisan Washington-based research institution affiliated with the Smithsonian, focusing on international affairs and scholarly exchange. Strongly comparable as a federally linked policy-research institute producing articles, convening events, and hosting scholars—overlapping substantially with FPI's mission and operating model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FPI_SAIS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@foreignpolicyinstituteatjo7011
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saisfpi
• Instagraminstagram.com/SAIS_FPI

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Foreign Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins SAIS