Joshua Safier

Joshua is a senior leader in global business education with over 30 years of experience advancing institutional strategy, international engagement, and cross-border program innovation in higher education. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Chazen Institute for Global Business and Executive Director of the Global Cluster at Columbia Business School, where he oversees the School’s global strategy and its portfolio of international programs, partnerships, and thought leadership initiatives.

In these roles, Joshua leads a broad range of strategic and operational priorities, including curricular and co-curricular global programming, faculty and student engagement, industry and alumni outreach, research collaborations, and institutional capacity-building. He plays a central role in shaping the School’s global footprint and advancing Columbia Business School’s mission as a premier global center for business education and research.

In addition to his leadership at the Chazen Institute, Joshua concurrently served as Managing Director of Columbia University’s Richard Paul Richman Center for Business, Law, and Public Policy—a joint initiative of Columbia Business School and Columbia Law School. There, he directed interdisciplinary programs at the intersection of business, legal policy, and public affairs, fostering dialogue and scholarship across both schools.

Previously, Joshua led Columbia University’s Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), a U.S. Department of Education–funded center focused on strengthening the nation’s global business capabilities through education and outreach.

Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at Columbia Business School’s Center on Japanese Economy and Business and Columbia University’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Study Center, where he directed research initiatives, public forums, and regional policy collaborations focused on Asia and the global economy.

Joshua holds a B.A. in East Asian Studies from Oberlin College and an M.A. in East Asian Languages and Cultures from the University of Kansas, with a concentration in modern Japanese history. He is pursuing an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration at Teachers College, Columbia University.

A seasoned global professional, Joshua has traveled to nearly 50 countries and previously lived and taught in Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program.