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.

Explore how our centers contribute to solving important issues and support a wide range of scholarly activities.

Research Centers

 

Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation

The Ash Center develops ideas and fosters practices for equal and inclusive, multiracial, and multiethnic democracy and self-governance.

Ash Facts PDF
 

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

The Belfer Center is the hub of Harvard Kennedy School's research, teaching, and training in international security and diplomacy, environmental and resource issues, and science and technology policy. 

Belfer Facts PDF
 

Bloomberg Center for Cities

The Bloomberg Center 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.

Bloomberg Facts PDF
 

Carr Center for Human Rights Policy

The Carr Center serves as the hub of the Harvard Kennedy School’s research, teaching, and training in the human rights domain.

Carr Facts PDF
 

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.

CID Facts PDF
 

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.

CPL Facts PDF
 

The 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.

IOP Facts PDF
 

The Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy

Through data-driven research, hands-on training, and collaborative public engagement, the Malcolm Wiener Center is advancing policy initiatives that empower people to solve the most urgent social challenges and questions of our times.

MWC Facts PDF
 

Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government

The Mossavar-Rahmani Center is dedicated to advancing the state of knowledge and policy concerning some of the most challenging problems at the interface of business and government.

M-RCBG Facts PDF
 

Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy 

The Shorenstein Center analyzes the impact of media and technology on governance, public policy, and politics through research, fellowships, and engagement with students, scholars, and journalists.

Shorenstein Facts PDF
 

The Taubman Center for State and Local Government 

The Taubman Center seeks to improve the governance of states, metropolitan areas, and cities through research, teaching, and public events.

Taubman Facts PDF
 

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.
 
WAPPP Facts PDF

Programs & Initatives

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.

A

Achievement Gap Initiative
Allen Lab on Democracy Renovation
Applied History Project
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 Center for Human Rights Policy
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
Colombia Education Initiative
[HKS] Communications Program
Corporate Responsibility Initiative
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
Documentary Film in the Public Interest 

E

Economic View of the Environment
Education Policy Program
[Harvard] Electricity Policy Group
[Harvard] Environmental Economics Program
Environment and Natural Resources Program
Equity Innovation Hub
[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 Vietnam Wars Studies Initiative
Government Performance Lab
Growth Lab

H

Healthcare Policy Program
Health Inequality Lab
Homeland Security Project

I

[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
Misinformation Review
Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business & Government

N

National Preparedness Leadership Initiative
Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Collaboratory
Nonviolent Action Lab

O

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
Project on Workforce
Public Interest Tech Lab 

Q

R

Rajawali Foundation Institute for Asia
Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston
Regulatory Policy Program
Reimagining Democracy
Reimagining the Economy
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

V

Vietnam  Public Policy Program

W

The William Monroe Trotter Collaborative for Social Justice
Women and Public Policy Program
[Project on] Workforce

X

Y

Z