Madrid: Enrico Letta, former Prime Minister of Italy, has been appointed Dean of IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs at IE University. Letta, currently President of the Jacques Delors Institute, will join IE University on November 20. He will replace Manuel Muñiz, the current Provost of IE University and Chairman of the Board of IE New York College.
Enrico Letta, recognized for his high-level political experience both in Italy and at the European level, served as Prime Minister of the Italian government from 2013 to 2014 and as leader of the Italian Democratic Party from 2021 to 2023. He has also held the positions of Minister of European Affairs in 1998, Minister of Industry between 1999 and 2001, and Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2006. In the academic sphere, Letta, who holds a Doctorate in European Law from the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, was Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po from 2015 to 2021 and President of the Washington DC-based Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) from 2019 to 2021. In 2023 and 2024, Enrico Letta was EU Rapporteur on the Future of the Single Market. He now also chairs the Diplomatic Forum of GESDA (the Geneva Science Diplomacy Anticipator).
“Letta has combined his dedication to public service with a brilliant academic career, excelling as a professor at prestigious universities in Europe, the United States, and Australia, and as a prolific author of books, the latest of which provides crucial insight into the future of the European Single Market,” said Santiago Iñiguez de Onzoño, Executive President of IE University. “Letta’s triple profile as a teacher, scholar, and professional is distinctive to the faculty at our institution.”
Iñiguez de Onzoño expressed his gratitude for the work Manuel Muñiz pursued during his tenure as Dean of the School, a position Muñiz held “brilliantly, strengthening the School’s international standing and expanding its academic footprint into areas such as politics and economics.” He continued, “Manuel Muñiz will now combine his growing responsibilities as Provost of IE University with his new position as Chair of the Board of IE New York College.”
“This step represents a major commitment on my part to Spain, a country that is clearly on the rise and making major contribution to the higher education landscape, and to IE University, a globally recognized institution with a highly diverse student body, an excellent faculty, and an innovative project. My contribution as the new Dean of IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs strengthens my ongoing commitment to issues related to European integration and the future of the European Single Market,” stated Enrico Letta.
Manuel Muñiz, Provost of IE University, added: “It is an honor for me to pass the baton of the school to such a visionary as Enrico Letta. I would like to thank all the people who have helped us get here, including Susana Malcorra, who led SPEGA in 2020 and 2021. Over the last eight years, we have achieved significant milestones, and now a new stage begins with unmatched leadership,”.
Academic Growth and International Profile
Over the past eight years, IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs has been led by Manuel Muñiz (2017-2020 and 2021-2024) and Susana Malcorra, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina and former Chief of Staff to the UN Secretary-General (2020-2021). During this period, the School expanded its academic footprint, faculty, student body, institutional projects, and international profile.
Reflecting this growth, since 2016, IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs has expanded its academic offerings from six to twenty programs, including the launch of the Bachelor in Economics (2019), the Master in International Development (2019), the Master in Applied Economics (2022), and the new Bachelor in Political Science (2025). Additionally, the School recently launched a Lifelong Learning program in Public Leadership.
The School’s student body has grown from 250 students in 2016 to close to 1,900 coming from more than 100 countries. IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs promotes access to young talent from around the world, regardless of their economic means. To this end, the amount of scholarships awarded to students has increased from €160,000 in 2017 to over €2.5 million annually in 2024.
As for the faculty, the School has hired researchers with doctorates from top international universities, growing from three to 30 full-time professors and researchers. A reflection of its commitment to academic excellence and pedagogical innovation, the School has received international awards such as the 2024 Bronze Global Award in the Science of Learning from QS, the 2024 Intersection Award from APSIA, and the 2024 McGillivray Award. A distinctive hallmark is its collaboration with international organizations and strategic partners like the United Nations, allowing students access to educational and professional opportunities, as well as the development of dual-degree programs and exchanges with the most prestigious universities in the sector. Additionally, the School recently launched a Global Policy Center to consolidate applied research and expand its impact in this field.