History and Mission of the Rusk Center

Dean Rusk turned the first shovel of dirt during the groundbreaking ceremonies for Dean Rusk Hall in April 1992. Also present were (left to right) Former Dean C. Ronald Ellington, Former Secretary of State Edmund Muskie, Former Georgia Governor Carl E. Sanders, Representative Larry Walker, UGA President Charles B. Knapp, and architect David Hauseman.

The Dean Rusk Center was established in 1977 to expand the scope of research, teaching, and service at the University of Georgia School of Law into the evolving international dimensions of law. The Center was named after former U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk, late Samuel H. Sibley Professor of Law.

At the core of the Dean Rusk Center's mission is the promotion of international law and cooperation as a means for solving issues of global importance. The Center plays an active role in international law and policy; hosting conferences, colloquia, and visiting scholars and undertaking international research and outreach projects.

The Dean Rusk Center serves as a nucleus for enhancing collaboration between School of Law faculty and students, the law school and university-wide communities, and diverse local, national and international partners on international legal and policy matters.

The offices of the Dean Rusk Center are located in Dean Rusk Hall, on UGA's North Campus.

Within the School of Law, the Rusk Center serves as a forum for exchange of ideas and development of concrete international projects among students, faculty, staff, practitioners, and alumni. At the University of Georgia, the Center works to expand the academic synergy between law and other disciplines. For the State of Georgia, the Center seeks to be a complementary resource for collaboration on international trade issues and their impact on Georgia and for promoting Georgia's effective involvement in international trade and investment. Nationally, the Center collaborates with academic and professional legal institutions to promote integration of parallel efforts in international and comparative law. Finally, the Center plays an active role in international exchange and outreach. Collaboration with foreign universities, judiciaries, and governments has bolstered institutional reform, capacity building, and legal scholarship in Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.