Ernesto Zedillo (left) is pictured during a recent meeting with President Richard C. Levin, who said the alumnus will bring "extraordinary credentials as an economist and public servant" to his new post at Yale.

Zedillo named head of Center for Study of Globalization

President Richard C. Levin announced the appointment of alumnus Ernesto Zedillo, the former president of Mexico, as the director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization. Zedillo, who will take over the helm at the center beginning Sept. 1, will succeed Strobe Talbott, former U.S. deputy secretary of state, who has been elected president of the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. "President Zedillo brings to Yale extraordinary credentials as an economist and public servant," said Levin in making the announcement. "He has a thorough grasp of international trade, finance and political economy as well as a deep commitment to the alleviation of global poverty. He is uniquely qualified to bring together scholars and policy makers to advance both academic and public understanding of the implications of globalization." Elected president of Mexico in 1994, Zedillo earned international renown for orchestrating that nation's first peaceful transfer of power following 71 years of uninterrupted rule by a single political party. As president, Zedillo was also credited with strengthening democratic institutions in Mexico, reforming the domestic economy, promoting political stability and expanding Mexico's ties to countries around the world. During his tenure, he signed a comprehensive free trade agreement with the European Union and, by the end of his term, Mexico had experienced five years of economic recovery, with annual growth averaging about 5%. Zedillo, a product of Mexico's public school system, earned three degrees from Yale -- an M.A. (1976), M.Phil. (1977) and Ph.D. (1981). At the University, he focused his studies on the issue of public indebtedness in Mexico and its links to future growth. "I am delighted to be returning to my alma mater to provide leadership for this exciting and challenging responsibility," said Zedillo. "I am eager to build the Center for the Study of Globalization and bring together the outstanding faculty at the University with outside policymakers and practitioners to consider the significant issues relating to globalization." In addition to his notable career as a public servant, Zedillo has a strong background in education. After leaving Yale, he taught at the Instituto Politecnico Nacional and at El Colegio de Mexico, one of Mexico's premier universities. Prior to being elected president, Zedillo served as Mexico's secretary of public education 1992-1994. Since leaving the Mexican presidency in December of 2000, Zedillo has lectured extensively on the effects of globalization and been a resolute advocate for democracy. Named Latin Finance's "Man of the Year" for 2000, Zedillo recently led a United Nations panel on finance and development. The panel produced what has come to be known as "The Zedillo Report," which played a significant role during the recent United Nations conference on development in Monterrey, Mexico. He also served as Mexico's secretary of programming and budget 1988-1992 and as an analyst at the Banco de Mexico. He was also a member of the Trilateral Commission and the Institute for International Economics. Zedillo and his wife, Nilda Patricia Velasco, have five children. As director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, Zedillo will continue the work begun by Talbott to bring together University faculty and outside policymakers to address major global issues through teaching, conferences and publications. "The center is structurally designed to build bridges between the academic world and the policy world," noted Levin. "Specific programmatic themes will emerge once President Zedillo arrives here and has the chance to meet with the faculty." As director, Zedillo also will serve on the Yale Center for International and Area Studies (YCIAS) Executive Committee and be a member of the Consultative Group on International Activities at Yale. The Center for the Study of Globalization will share a strong link with YCIAS, but it will maintain an independent budget and will be located in the Betts House on Prospect Street. As a member of the YCIAS family of programs, council and centers, the Center for the Study of Globalization will become an important focal point for studies of globalization and will regularly draw upon and interact with international and global programs across the University. The center will host visitors from academia, government, business and non-governmental organizations, and encourages their participation in discussion with faculty and students. (See related story.) The center is also developing a website on all dimensions of the subject. The website will host an online journal of opinion for scholars and practitioners. Along with the center's teleconferencing facility, the website will carry the proceedings of the center's conferences and seminars; publish articles and papers produced by Yale scholars and visitors; and establish links among institutions and individuals working on globalization worldwide. "The appointment of President Zedillo provides further momentum to President Levin's efforts to internationalize Yale," said Daniel Esty, law professor and director of the World Fellows Program. "Zedillo brings an extraordinary perspective on globalization, particularly the critical relationship between developed and developing countries." 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