About Us – Foreign Service Institute

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As the U.S. government’s premier foreign affairs training provider, the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) is dedicated to ensuring the career-long learning opportunities required for success in today’s global arena. FSI promotes substantive, regional, and linguistic expertise, leadership finesse, personal resilience and innovative problem-solving. FSI is proud to serve the U.S. Department of State and the entire U.S. government foreign affairs community as a strategic enabler of diplomatic excellence.

The 21st century has brought unprecedented global change. Effective diplomacy is more essential than ever as we evolve to meet current challenges and future opportunities. FSI serves as a catalyst for that evolution. Employing cutting-edge educational technology, the latest advancements in cognitive research, and the work of innovative thought leaders from around the world, FSI challenges our professionals to explore new individual strengths, to broaden organizational capacities, and to strive for better outcomes for our country and the world.

FSI is comprised of the School of Language Studies, the School of Professional and Area studies, the School of Applied Information Technology, the Leadership and Management School, the Office of the Historian, and the Transition Center.

FSI is located at the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Arlington, Virginia. Situated in a campus-like setting of 72 acres, the Shultz Center is only ten minutes from the main State Department building in Washington, D.C. FSI conducts training at satellite facilities in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Rosslyn, VA and Washington, D.C., and additionally at overseas facilities in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Germany, Mexico, and multiple cities in Africa and the Arabic-speaking world. FSI offers approximately 800 courses (nearly 600 on campus and 250 via distance learning platforms) with over 225,000 enrollments annually.

For more information about FSI’s 70+ year history, read the Foreign Service Institute’s History page.