Space Bridges: How the Global Classroom Project Connected Tufts University and Moscow Amid the Cold War

By Chloe Waldrep, MALD 2026 Candidate, The Fletcher School

The years leading up to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 were marked by global tensions. In the midst of this uncertainty, the Tufts Nuclear Age History and Humanities Center (NAHHC) was founded in 1986 to “bridge the information gap between experts and citizens by providing access to balanced information about nuclear age issues that threaten global security,” said Director Joanne M. Lewis.

The project began when Tufts University President Jean Mayer sent a letter to General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 about the project, which had been proposed by Professor Martin J. Sherwin, the director of the NAHHC. The following year, the NAHHC, Moscow State University, and the Soviet Academy of Sciences launched the Global Classroom Project, aiming to foster information exchange and understanding between the Soviet Union and the United States. In the spring of 1988, over 700 American and Soviet students were brought together via satellite and simultaneous interpretation to discuss the nuclear arms race in a series of televised sessions. 

The topics were divided into three panels, covering the early history of the nuclear arms race, strategic stability, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Panelists included the former director of Soviet nuclear weapons laboratories, Nikita Kruschev’s speechwriter, and John F. Kennedy’s National Security Advisor. Despite these impressive guests, the focus remained on the discussions between students, which were broadcast on USSR national television, PBS, and the internet service Worldnet. When a panel was occurring in person in Moscow, it was also televised to students in the U.S. simultaneously. Hence, the use of the term “space bridge” to describe the program is connecting students across space using satellite technology and the internet.  

In tandem with these panels, 75 American students traveled to Moscow to meet their Soviet counterparts, where one of their programs included attending a joint screening of “Dr. Strangelove” and discussing the themes the film raised. The goal of the exchange trip was to facilitate the American students’ understanding of Soviet culture and politics over the course of a week. 

Even as this was all unfolding, plans for the next Global Classroom Project were underway for the spring of 1989. This second installment of programs and classes would focus on the environment and cover such topics as global warming and a comparison of U.S. and Soviet air pollution policies. Another group of American students also traveled to Moscow.

After witnessing the success of the Global Classroom Project in 1988 and 1989, the program sought to expand its efforts to open up dialogues between students and experts worldwide. Looking to expand its academic partnerships, the Moscow State University School of Journalism partnered with New York University to host a panel discussion on the role of the critical press in the democratic process. Building on the momentum, the program resumed its focus on environmental issues in the spring of 1990.

The Global Classroom Project was the result of initiatives by researchers, educators, and students to unite across national boundaries near the end of the Cold War. The need to keep dialogues amongst these actors open is as crucial now as it was in 1987. The Fletcher School has taken this charge in stride by continuously engaging with its students and encouraging them to share their stories.  

Sample from the brochure used to promote the Global Classroom Project

Photo of the live-taping of a GCP panel in Russia

Media coverage of the GCP