Harvard Kennedy School is dedicated to advancing public policy and governance through our 12 research centers. These centers focus on conducting research, publishing findings, providing fellowships, organizing events, and enhancing our teaching programs.
Research Centers
Explore how our centers contribute to solving important issues and support a wide range of scholarly activities.
Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation
The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation works to answer critical questions surrounding democratic governance, government innovation, and Asia public policy through research, education and public discussion.
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs is the school's hub for research, teaching, and training in international security and diplomacy, environmental and resource issues, and science and technology policy.
Bloomberg Center for Cities
The Bloomberg Center for Cities advances groundbreaking research, teaching, and programming on city leadership and governance, uniting talent with innovative practice to help city leaders around the world improve the lives of their residents.
Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights
The Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights serves as the hub of the Harvard Kennedy School’s research, teaching, and training in the human rights domain.
Center for International Development
The Harvard Center for International Development seeks to advance understanding of development challenges and offer viable solutions to problems of global poverty.
Center for Public Leadership
The Center for Public Leadership works to inspire and enhance the capacity for principled, effective public leadership in government, politics, civil society, and business.
Institute of Politics
The Institute of Politics was created as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy to inspire students to get involved in public service. Its mission is to engage students with academics, politicians, and policymakers on a nonpartisan basis.
Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy
The Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy’s faculty, staff, research fellows, and students are committed to achieving a deeper understanding of the barriers we face to greater equality and access to opportunities for all.
Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government
The Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government aims to advance the state of knowledge and policy analysis concerning some of society’s most challenging problems.
Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy analyzes the impact of media and technology on governance, public policy, and politics through research, fellowships, and engagement with students, scholars, and journalists.
Taubman Center for State and Local Government
The Taubman Center for State and Local Government seeks to improve the governance of states, and cities through research, teaching, and public events.
Women and Public Policy Program
The Women and Public Policy’s faculty, research fellows, and students are committed to advancing women and gender equity globally.
Below is a list of all of the programs & initiatives across HKS.
To search, hit control + F on your keyboard (or command + F for Mac users), and type in the term you are looking for. The accordion section will expand to show any results.
Programs & Initiatives
A
Achievement Gap Initiative
Allen Lab on Democracy Renovation
Applied History Project
Arctic Initiative
Artificial Intelligence at HKS
Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation
Asia Energy Sustainability Initiative
Atlas of Economic Complexity
Autonomous Vehicles Policy Initiative
B
Bangladesh Public Administration Project
Behavioral Insights Group
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University
Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative
Building State Capability
C
Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights
Campus Sustainability
Candid & Constructive Conversations
Center for International Development
Center for Public Leadership
China and the World
China Philanthropy Project
China Public Policy Program
Civic Power Lab
Climate@HKS
[Harvard Project on] Climate Agreements
[Harvard] Climate Internship Program
Colombia Education Initiative
[HKS] Communications Program
Corporate Responsibility Initiative
Corporate Responsibility Initiative Hub
COVID States Project
Criminal Justice Policy and Management
[Program on] Crisis Leadership
Crowd Counting Consortium
D
Data-Smart City Solutions
Defense, Emerging Technology and Strategy Program
Democracy in Hard Places Initiative
Digital Assets Policy Project
[Program on] Diplomacy and Statecraft
Documentary Film in the Public Interest
E
Economic View of the Environment
[Program on] Education Policy and Governance
Education Policy Program
Emerging Technology, Scientific Advancement, and Global Policy
[Harvard] Environmental Economics Program
Environment and Natural Resources Program
[Project on] Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship
Evidence for Policy Design
F
G
Gender Action Portal
Geopolitics of Energy Project
GETTING-Plurality
Gleitsman Program in Leadership for Social Change
Global Education and Research: Unleashing Potential
Global Food Systems
Global Vietnam Wars Studies Initiative
Good Services Lab
Government Performance Lab
Greater Boston Applied Field Lab
Growth Lab
GrowthPolicy
H
[HKS] Healthcare Policy Program
Health Inequality Lab
Homeland Security Project
I
[Harvard] Impact Labs
[Project on] Indigenous Governance and Development
Indonesia Public Policy Program
Institute of Politics
Institutional Antiracism and Accountability Project
Intelligence Project
International Security Program
J
Joint Center for Housing Studies
The Journalist’s Resource
K
L
The Leadership and Happiness Laboratory
Learning and Educational Achievement in Pakistan Schools
Local Politics Lab
M
Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy
Managing the Atom Project
Middle East Initiative
Middle Powers Project
Misinformation Review
Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business & Government
N
National Preparedness Leadership Initiative
Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Collaboratory
Nonviolent Action Lab
O
Office of Belonging, Community, and Connection
P
The People Lab
Policy Memo Resource
Practicing Democracy Project
The Program in Criminal Justice Policy and Management
Project on Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship
Public Impact Analytics Science Lab (PIAS-Lab)
Public Interest Tech Lab
Q
R
Rajawali Foundation Institute for Asia
Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston
Regulatory Policy Program
Reimagining Democracy
Reimagining the Economy
Rising Chinese Economic Power
Russia Matters
S
Science, Technology & Public Policy Program
Program on Science, Technology & Society (STS)
The Shift Project
Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy
Social Innovation + Change Initiative
Social Policy Data Lab
Social Protection Initiative
Stone Program in Wealth Distribution, Inequality & Social Policy
Student Media Initiative
Sustainability Science Program
T
Taiwan Public Policy Program
Taubman Center for State and Local Government
Technology and Geopolitics Project
Technology, Innovation and Regulation
Thucydides's Trap Project
Trade and Negotiations Program (Global Trade Negotiations)
Transition Term
U
Unseen Legacies of the Vietnam War
[Harvard] Urban Health Initiative
V
W
The William Monroe Trotter Collaborative for Social Justice
Women and Public Policy Program
[Project on] Workforce