Baerbock to join Columbia as Professor for Global Leadership in autumn 2026

8 September 2026 marks the end of Annalena Baerbock’s term as President of the United Nations General Assembly and the start of her practice‑oriented professorship at Columbia University in New York.

Appointment confirmed

Handelsblatt reported that the German Green Party politician will take up the post of Professor for Global Leadership at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) in the autumn of 2026. The university has not issued an independent statement, but the appointment is described as “confirmed” by informed sources quoted by the newspaper.

Role and responsibilities

The position is a practice‑oriented professorship, not a traditional research chair. Baerbock will also serve as co‑director of the Master of Public Administration in Global Leadership programme, which targets senior professionals seeking advanced training in public leadership.

Timeline

Implications

The move places a former UN leader in a leading US academic institution, strengthening German‑US ties in public‑policy education. It also signals a trend of high‑profile politicians taking practice‑oriented roles in academia after international appointments.

Columbia will announce the exact start date in the coming weeks.