It is with great pleasure that we extend a warm welcome to our three new faculty and staff members. Their arrival marks a significant addition to our institution, bringing with them a wealth of expertise and diverse perspectives that will undoubtedly enrich our academic environment. We are confident that their contributions will be instrumental in advancing our mission and fostering the success of our students.

We are pleased to announce that HJI is now operating at its new campus, located at 481 Eighth Ave. Suite 1223 (12th Floor of the New York Yorker Hotel).  The facilities at this new site are wonderful and we trust that you will be greatly impressed with our new campus environment. Please note that when you come to our campus on the 12th floor you will first pass through a security checkpoint in the lobby on the ground floor in front of the elevator lobby.  Simply inform security staff that you are a student, faculty or staff member of HJI, located on the 12th floor.  You may be...

On the occasion of his passing, the HJI Community honors Professor William Lay, who served on the HJI Board of Trustees and as its Board Secretary from 2018 to 2025, and as Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice and Human Security since 2022.  Professor Lay delivered HJI’s inaugural Constitution Day Lecture and inspired students through his highly regarded course on Human Rights, Law, and Government.  We are deeply grateful for his dedication to our institution and our students. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife, Mrs. Taeko Lay, and to their family.  Professor Lay will...

The HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership convened its 3rd International Conference, at the New Yorker Hotel from August 1-3, on “Addressing Root Causes to Contemporary Threats to Religious Freedom.” The conference brought together approximately twenty scholars—both Unificationists and non-Unificationists—to discuss and reflect on this critical issue. The research and insights shared by the participants will be compiled into a forthcoming publication. Participating from HJI were Thomas Walsh, President; Michael Mickler, Distinguished Professor of...

The position of Director of Alumni Relations has been filled and we are no longer accepting applications.

HJI Mission Statement HJI provides advanced academic and professional education for women and men who aspire to serve the wider society and world as transformational leaders in faith-based ministries or professional fields related to religion, peace, and public leadership. Our Vision HJI will emerge as a center of excellence in higher education. Core values  Hyo-jeong, a Korean term, is a virtue, similar to filial piety, that is expressed by reverence for God, humanity, and the environment.   Peace is a goal toward which we strive, one characterized by harmony,...

On June 24, 2025, the International Media Association for Peace of the Universal Peace Federation held an event on the topic “Lasting Peace Through Conflict Transformation: Opportunities for Communication Media’s Contribution.”Dr. Thomas Ward, Chair of HJI’s Master of Arts in Peace Studies and  Professor of Peace and Development, participated as guest speaker along with Ms. Cheryl Wetzstein, Senior Advisor, Times Global Media Group and former reporter at The Washington Times. The event was moderated by Mr. Ray Lipowcan, Executive Director, UPF Western Pennsylvania, and current...

On Tuesday, May 5, Dr. Thomas Walsh, HJI President, was featured as a guest panelist invited by the The Washington Times Foundation’s presentation of the The Washington Brief on the topic, “The Relevance of Peace Studies to Conflict Resolution.”  Dr. Walsh joined Ambassador Joseph DeTrani, former Six-Party Talks envoy, and Dr. Alexandre Mansourov, Professor of Security Studies from Georgetown University in this revealing conversation. Dr. Michael Jenkins, President of The Washington Times Foundation, and HJI graduate, was the moderator.   In his remarks, Dr. Walsh...

Executive Editor’s Welcome Welcome to Our Readers! On behalf of both our editorial team and our sponsoring institution, the HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership (HJI), I am honored to introduce the inaugural issue of the International Journal for Peace and Public Leadership (IJPPL), dedicated to providing informative, scholarly perspective on topics related to the pursuit of lasting peace. At the outset, I want to express appreciation to HJI, an academic institution engaged in the preparation of a new generation of public leaders and peace professionals...