IWP’s 35-Year Mission to Train National Security Leaders

By Larry Provost

Thirty-five years ago, John Lenczowski, former Reagan National Security Council Director of Eastern European and Soviet Affairs, established the Institute of World Politics (IWP) as an independent graduate school focused on national security, intelligence, and international affairs. The institution’s mission emphasizes developing leaders with a deep understanding of global realities and ethical statecraft, rooted in American political principles and Western moral traditions.

Lenczowski founded IWP after observing that many government officials involved in strategic environments lacked formal training, particularly within the U.S. State Department and intelligence agencies, where 95% of officers had no prior education in their field. The institute offers programs such as the first master’s in strategic intelligence outside the federal government and a professional doctorate in national security. Its curriculum includes strategic deception, ideological warfare, foreign influence operations, public diplomacy, and political warfare.

Economics is taught as strategy, with courses on trade, aid, defense infrastructure policy, technology security, and financial strategies. IWP also prioritizes counterintelligence, addressing gaps in countering foreign covert operations and ensuring quality control in intelligence collection.

Despite challenges, IWP has produced over 2,000 graduates placed in roles across the intelligence community, military, and government agencies. Lenczowski highlights concerns about China’s growing influence, including its monopoly on rare earth materials, vast shipbuilding capabilities, and alleged control over parts of the U.S. media. He criticizes the State Department for prioritizing traditional diplomacy over public diplomacy, which he argues is vital for long-term strategic engagement.

Today, IWP continues its mission under current president Ambassador Aldona Wos, maintaining its focus on national security education amid evolving global threats.