Shape your future. Change the world.
International learning that broadens perspectives, advances careers, and strengthens international cooperation.
Welcome to Arclight Institute
Where international education becomes a bridge to international cooperation.
Founded by political scientists and developed in partnership with seasoned practitioners, Arclight focuses on the study and statecraft of international affairs.
We bring together emerging and career professionals who believe the world's most pressing challenges are best addressed through shared learning, intergroup dialogue, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Whether you're a student, professional, educator, or institution, we invite you to discover why Arclight connects scholarship with practice--and the difference that can make for individuals, local communities, and global relations.
About Arclight
Arclight advances its mission through three interconnected areas of work: education abroad, international conferences, and university partnerships. Each offers a different means to engage with international cooperation while reflecting a shared commitment to academic rigor, intercultural competence, community engagement, and operational excellence.
For Students: Education Abroad
Education Abroad
Our education abroad programs combine rigorous academic study with policy dialogue, institutional engagement, and career preparation. From our home base in Strasbourg, France, participants travel throughout Europe to meet with policymakers, institutional leaders, and experts whose work brings international cooperation to life.
For Professionals: International Conferences
International Conferences
Arclight conferences bring together scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and emerging professionals to examine today’s most pressing international challenges, from climate change to information warfare. Participants exchange ideas, strengthen professional relationships, and explore collaborative responses that no nation or institution can achieve alone.
For Universities: Educational Partnerships
Educational Partnerships
Arclight partners with colleges and universities to align their education abroad goals with their students’ career pathways. Institutional partners may offer established Arclight programs or work with us to develop custom, faculty-directed programming. We provide on-the-ground logistics and operational support so faculty can focus on teaching and learning.
Three Pillars Build the Arclight Institute Experience
Policy Dialogue
Thoughtful dialogue brings academic and professional perspectives together, challenging participants to examine complex global issues from multiple points of view.
Learn MoreInstitutional Engagement
International affairs come to life through firsthand encounters with the institutions and professionals turning ideas into policy and cooperation into practice.
Learn MoreProfessional Development
Professional relationships, real-world perspectives, and purposeful learning help participants discover new possibilities and prepare confidently for what comes next.
Learn MoreOur Leadership & Advisory Network
The Arclight team embodies our core belief that global challenges require meaningful collaboration between academia and practice.
Founded by political scientists, Arclight assembles academics and practitioners with distinguished careers spanning higher education, diplomacy, public policy, international security, and nonprofit leadership. Members of our Advisory Board include senior figures from the U.S. Department of State, the Foreign Service, the military and intelligence communities, leading think tanks, NGOs, and academic institutions worldwide.
Dr. Andrew Armstrong founded the Arclight Institute to prepare students for leadership in an increasingly interconnected world. He believes international education should do more than broaden perspectives, it should help students discover new possibilities, build meaningful professional relationships, and develop the confidence to pursue careers that shape the future.
Armstrong holds a PhD in political science from George Mason University and has taught in the United States and internationally. He has collaborated with the U.S. Department of State on international education initiatives and served as a political contributor to Sweden’s national public radio.
Under his leadership, Arclight has developed an educational model that combines academic rigor with direct engagement with diplomats, policymakers, international organizations, and practitioners, giving students uncommon access to the people and institutions shaping global affairs.
Dr. Trevor Thrall is a nationally recognized scholar of international affairs whose research has shaped conversations on global security, foreign policy, and the role of information in international politics. His work has appeared widely in academic publications and public discourse, and he is a frequent contributor to discussions of contemporary international issues.
As chair of Arclight’s Advisory Board, Thrall provides strategic guidance on the Institute’s academic direction and long-term development. His leadership helps ensure that Arclight’s programs remain intellectually rigorous, professionally relevant, and closely connected to the evolving challenges of international affairs.
Thomas M. Duffy is a retired Senior Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State and a faculty advisor at the National War College. Over a distinguished diplomatic career, he held senior leadership positions including office director in the State Department’s international trade division and acting U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations’ Rome-based agencies.
His overseas assignments included service as U.S. Consul General in Jeddah, Deputy Consul General in Jerusalem, Political Advisor to the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, and Deputy Political-Military Affairs Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. A specialist in multilateral diplomacy and international security, Duffy also served with the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, directed the Office of UN Political Affairs, and was a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow. Before joining the Foreign Service, he served as a U.S. Navy surface warfare officer. He holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame, King’s College London, and the U.S. Naval War College.
Let’s Continue the Conversation
Every meaningful partnership, educational pursuit, and person-to-person conversation begins with a single step. Whether you’re considering education abroad, exploring opportunities for your institution, attending a conference, or simply learning more about Arclight Institute, we look forward to helping you shape your future—and together, contributing to a cooperative world.