The Centre for Democratic Resilience welcomes Maria Balinska as Practitioner Associate

The Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford is delighted to welcome Maria Balinska as a Practitioner Associate, affiliated with Centre for Democratic Resilience bringing her deep expertise in higher education leadership, international exchange, and cross-cultural engagement. 

During her distinguished career, Maria has advanced international understanding and academic collaboration. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of the US-UK Fulbright Commission, where she led one of the world’s most influential impactful scholarship programmes. In this role she worked at the intersection of higher education, diplomacy, and global opportunity—supporting students, scholars, and future leaders on both sides of the Atlantic. 

Her commitment to fostering international exchange is grounded in her own global background: born in New Jersey and educated at Princeton University, she attended ten schools across five countries. This lived experience shaped her dedication to promoting mutual understanding through education and dialogue. 

Maria’s earlier career includes significant editorial and leadership roles in international journalism, including at BBC News, The Conversation US, and as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. This work deepened her engagement with global issues and contributed to her broader mission of connecting people across borders. 

Within the Centre of Democratic Resilience, Maria will bring her strategic understanding of international scholarship networks, her experience leading academic-adjacent institutions, and her commitment to broadening opportunities for cross-cultural learning. Her expertise will play an important role in strengthening the Centre’s international partnerships and advancing our research programme on the independence and integrity of higher education as a cornerstone of democratic resilience. 

We are delighted to welcome Maria to our community!