Stephen Toope

��˾��ֱ��'s Stephen Toope installed as vice-chancellor of Cambridge University next month

ullahnor — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 14:52:10 +0000

��˾��ֱ��'s Stephen Toope installed as vice-chancellor of Cambridge University next month

ullahnor Mon, 09/11/2017 - 10:52

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As vice-chancellor of Cambridge, Stephen Toope will be the main administrative and academic officer of the university and de facto head (photo by Lisa Sakulensky and Steve Frost)

Topic

Global Lens

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Stephen Toope

��˾��ֱ��'s Stephen Toope was profiled in the Toronto Star this weekend. He'll be installed as vice-chancellor at the University of Cambridge next month – the first non-Briton to hold the post in the school’s 800-year history.

Toope, the former director of the Munk School of Global Affairs, received his doctorate from Cambridge in 1987. He served as the dean of law at McGill University, then spent eight years running the University of British Columbia, before coming to Munk.

He said that he wasn’t even aware Cambridge was conducting a search for a new vice-chancellor when he received a call from headhunters.

“As a West Island boy from Montreal, I feel extraordinarily privileged,” Toope, 59, told the Toronto Star.

He said that as he packed, he pictured Isaac Newton at Cambridge, discovering gravity, then imagined other geniuses passing through the university. He has had to remind himself that, “It’s not utterly crazy that I’m going there.”

As a scholar, Toope has specialized in human rights, international dispute resolution, international environmental law and the use of force.

��˾��ֱ��'s Stephen Toope: what a Trump presidency will mean to the world is utterly unpredictable

Romi Levine — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 16:45:11 +0000

��˾��ֱ��'s Stephen Toope: what a Trump presidency will mean to the world is utterly unpredictable

Romi Levine Mon, 01/09/2017 - 11:45

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Donald Trump protestors demonstrate outside the Pennsylvania Capitol Building last month (photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Stephen Toope

Author legacy

Stephen Toope

Topic

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

International Relations

Subheadline

"As hard as it may be to swallow, we have to find ways for Canada to reinforce Mr. Trump’s self-understanding as a 'winner,'" says Toope, director of ��˾��ֱ��'s Munk School of Global Affairs.

It’s customary as a new year begins to think about what the next twelve months may bring. From where I sit and as I reflect on global affairs, I’m worried that I have no idea how to predict what the man about to be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States will do in the next four years and what that will mean for the world.

Donald Trump is a real estate mogul and a reality TV star. What makes him tick is negotiating deals that benefit his interests. He cares about being a “winner” – and about being celebrated for that. He seems to take public criticism far more personally than hardened career politicians who know it comes with the territory. His message of bringing about change clearly resonated with voters, but what form will that change take? From what I’ve seen so far, he acts on gut instinct without investing much time or effort into listening to experts and understanding issues.

It is not evident that Mr. Trump has a firm ideological or ethical compass. He seems to blow with the wind, depending on one trusted adviser one day only to turn in another direction the next. Building long-term relationships does not appear to be important to him.

If you think about this tendency in a global security context, it could have serious repercussions. He has been dismissive of international institutions such as the UN that I believe play an important role in striving to maintain peace in the world. His recent tweet about strengthening American nuclear capability sent a chill through those of us who grew up in the height of the Cold War. While Russian president Vladimir Putin seems currently to be a Trump ally, the unpredictability factor makes me nervous – that could change in an instant. And what the reaction to this message might be in China and North Korea and the Middle East is a real concern.

It may turn out that the Republican Congress and Senate will be balancing factors. It may be that once in office and faced with the reality of leadership, he will rely on intelligent advisers. Or perhaps he will continue to think he alone has all the answers. It is utterly unpredictable.

What does this mean for Canada? Despite all his negativity on NAFTA, I don’t believe he’s thinking about us as much as Mexico. I’ve written previously that Canada should strengthen ties with Mexico. I still believe that. But we should do so in a way that doesn’t alienate us from the U.S., with which our economy is inextricably intertwined. We need to be seen as part of the solution – as helping Mr. Trump win. As hard as it may be to swallow, we have to find ways for Canada to reinforce Mr. Trump’s self-understanding as a “winner.” We need to make sure we stay connected to the people who have his ear at any given moment and make our voice heard. We must put more effort into building our U.S. relationships through multiple channels: governors, senators, civil society, corporations. It is not in our interest to become anti-American.

We also need to keep our eye on the long game. The next four years may be a roller-coaster ride when it comes to U.S. relations with the world. We must continue to support important international institutions and maintain close ties with NATO and G20 allies. And who knows? Perhaps we have an opportunity to attract talented people to Canada who might otherwise go to or be found in the U.S., but who share my uncertainty about what might happen there in the short term.

Stephen Toope nominated to lead Cambridge University

lavende4 — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 13:39:35 +0000

Stephen Toope nominated to lead Cambridge University

lavende4 Mon, 09/26/2016 - 09:39

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(Photo by Romi Levine)

Terry Lavender

Author legacy

Terry Lavender

Topic

Global Lens

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Cambridge University

Stephen Toope

Subheadline

Munk School director thrilled to return to alma mater as first non-British vice-chancellor

Professor Stephen Toope, director of the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs, has been nominated as the 346^th vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

Subject to the approval of the university’s governing body, Toope will become vice-chancellor on October 1, 2017, succeeding Sir Leszek Borysiewicz. He is believed to be the first non-Briton to serve as head of Cambridge in the institution’s 800-year history.

“I am thrilled to be returning to Cambridge,” said Toope, who earned a PhD from Cambridge in 1987. “I look forward to working with staff and students in the pursuit of academic excellence and tremendous international engagement – the very mark of Cambridge.”

��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler said he was delighted to see Toope’s accomplishments recognized.

“While we are very sorry to be losing him, this is a great honour and tremendous opportunity that reflects the depth of Professor Toope’s scholarship and the strength of his academic leadership,” said Gertler.

“During Stephen’s tenure as director, the Munk School has continued to enhance its reputation as one of the world’s leading institutions of global affairs, culminating in its admission to the elite Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. We are proud to know that one of our most distinguished leaders will soon be leading one of the world’s great universities.”

Toope was chosen after an international search led by Ian White, Master of Cambridge’s Jesus College.

“Professor Toope has impeccable academic credentials, a longstanding involvement with higher education, strong leadership experience and an excellent research background,” White said.

Borysiewicz agreed. “We are delighted to be welcoming a distinguished leader with such an outstanding record as a scholar and educator to lead Cambridge.”

Toope told ��˾��ֱ�� News he had mixed feelings about the appointment, as it meant he would be leaving the Munk School and ��˾��ֱ��.

“I really enjoy being here at the Munk School. Both the School and the University of Toronto have been tremendous to me. I’m very proud of the work that we’ve done in trying to articulate more clearly the purpose and aspirations of the Munk School.”

Professor David Cameron, dean of ��˾��ֱ��’s Faculty of Arts & Science, said he was pleased that Toope will continue to lead the Munk School for another year before heading to Cambridge.

“In the short time that Stephen Toope has been at ��˾��ֱ��, we have benefited greatly from his academic leadership, and I am glad that we will have another year of what my kids would call his ‘quality time’,” Cameron said. “While we will be sorry indeed to see him go, we are happy to be able to contribute, through Stephen, to the global world of higher education.”

Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. It consists of 31 constituent colleges with 18,000 students from all cultures and corners of the world. Cambridge consistently ranks as one of the world's best universities, placing fourth globally in the recent Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Its scholars and alumni include Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, John Maynard Keynes, Sylvia Plath, John Cleese, E.M. Forster, Oliver Cromwell, the Prince of Wales, and former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Besides his PhD from Cambridge, Toope also has degrees in common law and civil law from McGill University, and graduated magna cum laude with his AB in History and Literature from Harvard University (1979).

He was president and vice-chancellor of the University of British Columbia from 2006-14. Previously, he served as president of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, and dean of Law at McGill University.

Toope has a distinguished academic law career. He publishes in leading international journals on international dispute resolution, international environmental law, human rights, the use of force, and international legal theory, and has lectured at leading universities around the globe.

He has served the public in many roles, including as chair of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, as fact-finder for the Commission of Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Government Officials in relation to Maher Arar, as a member of the Commonwealth Group of Experts, Consultation on the Constitution of Sri Lanka, and as research director, Office of the Special Representative concerning the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

In recognition of his service and accomplishments, in 2015 Toope was inducted as an Officer of the Order of Canada and received honorary degrees from both the University of Alberta and the University of British Columbia. He has also been awarded the President’s Award of Distinction for the United Way of Canada (2014), the John Read Medal of the Canadian Council of International Law (2015) and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2012).

��˾��ֱ�� News reporter Terry Lavender sat down with Stephen Toope to discuss the news of his nomination as vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

How did you feel when you heard you were nominated to be vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge?

I was completely surprised. I didn’t know that there was actually a search going on. It was completely out of the blue.

How did your family react?

I have three kids who are going to be in Canada for the foreseeable future. We’re going to have to make that work. They’re all very supportive and encouraging but I think they also recognize there will be some complexities with North Atlantic travel.

In 2012, Mark Carney, head of the Bank of Canada, was chosen to head the Bank of England. And now you’ve been chosen to lead the University of Cambridge.

The head of the Royal Mail [Moya Greene] is a Canadian as well, so there are a few Canadians floating around in prominent roles in England!

Will you be calling on Mark for advice?

Luckily I do know Mark, and I probably will actually call upon him for advice about deeper understandings of British society.

You did your PhD at Cambridge. Are you looking forward to going back?

That’s part of the excitement for me. I had a wonderful time when I was at Cambridge. It was extremely rewarding and the university’s ability to attract people from all around the globe was apparent every day. So that part of this opportunity is very encouraging and exciting.

You’ve been a university president before. How do you think heading Cambridge will compare to being president of UBC?

Every university has similarities and strong differences. Obviously, the basic functions are similar. The impulse towards knowledge through research, learning and teaching is very present in all institutions, but the particular ways that that impulse expresses itself are quite unique. So I suspect that there will be things that seem very familiar and there will be things that seem very new. I’m going to have to be very adept at listening and making sure that I understand before trying to weigh in too quickly with suggestions.

Will there be a transition?

I certainly will talk with the outgoing vice-chancellor, I’m sure quite often, and I certainly will want to learn from him. He’s very distinguished and I think he’s been an excellent vice-chancellor, so I will have much to learn.

What are you most proud of during your time at Munk School?

I really enjoy being here at the Munk School. Both the School and the University of Toronto have been tremendous to me. I’m very proud of the work that we’ve done in trying to articulate more clearly the purpose and aspirations of the Munk School through a planning exercise that we undertook. So we now have a plan for the future of the Munk School. We have had a couple of curriculum reviews as a result of that. We now have a review of the curriculum of the Masters of Global Affairs program, which will continue.

I should say that I’m here for another year. I don’t start until October or maybe sometime in September of 2017, and I will be 100 percent engaged in the affairs of the Munk School for that time.

Stephen Toope

��˾��ֱ��'s Stephen Toope installed as vice-chancellor of Cambridge University next month

Read more at the Toronto Star

��˾��ֱ��'s Stephen Toope: what a Trump presidency will mean to the world is utterly unpredictable

Stephen Toope nominated to lead Cambridge University