Founded in 1978, The Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange (Franklin Center) is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to enhancing global understanding of important international issues. The Franklin Center brings together Members of the U.S. Congress and their international parliamentary counterparts as well as experts from the Diplomatic corps, foreign officials, senior private sector representatives, scholars, and other public policy experts. Through regular conferences and events where leading international opinion leaders share ideas, the Franklin Center promotes enlightened, balanced, and unbiased international policy discussion on major international issues.

As the international community grapples with large and unprecedented issues, the Franklin Center seeks to foster greater international awareness and cooperation through multinational policy forums, conferences, and other programs designed to explore important worldwide issues from a wide range of perspectives. The Franklin Center is committed to informing current and future public policy leaders in the United States and abroad about relevant international topics. In addition, foreign studies graduate students from local and international universities participate in our events where they gain insight from experts on pressing global issues.

The Franklin Center also sponsors both the William F. Clinger Jr. and the Constance A. Morella International Scholarship Programs, which are operated in conjunction with Johns Hopkins University. These scholarships offer undergraduate students the opportunity to study abroad and requires each student to complete an independent research project.