A Thriving World for All
Everyone is born with potential but many never realize theirs.
We can build societies where all people thrive.
Our Strategy
Housed at the Harvard Kennedy School, CID works across Harvard University and a global network of researchers and practitioners to invest in people, places, and ideas to address the world’s most pressing challenges. Through our faculty affiliates, programs, fellows, students, and staff, we invest in growing development thinkers and doers in three ways:
1. Invest in People
We develop current and future leaders who can think critically and act effectively on development challenges through degree programs, Executive Education, fellowships, and experiential learning opportunities.
By investing in people, we equip changemakers with the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to drive progress in their communities and around the world.
2. Invest in Places
We strengthen connections among researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and communities across regions and sectors to foster collaboration, learning, and locally grounded solutions.
By investing in places, we help communities and institutions unlock opportunities for inclusive growth and long-term prosperity.
3. Invest in Ideas
We advance and apply rigorous research to expand understanding of development challenges and inform evidence-based solutions through collaborations between academics and practitioners.
By investing in ideas, we generate new knowledge and translate evidence into action to improve lives at scale.
“It’s important to remind ourselves that the person we’re helping today could one day help us.”
- Asim I. Khwaja, CID Faculty Director
We Believe
Incredibly talented people worldwide often never get to discover let alone achieve their full potential. Shocks outside of a person’s control play an outsized role in impacting their ability to achieve success. As a society we are worse for this. At the Harvard Center for International Development (CID), we are committed to move us beyond poverty to a world that delivers maximum value for all. We believe together we can design and implement policies that help everyone realize their full potential.
Moving From Charity to Investment
Enabling people to grow requires reimagining what it means to deliver international development. At CID, we see people not as objects of charity but as co-investors in the effort to achieve our collective potential. Whether investing in the capabilities of public institutions, civil society organizations, or private sector companies to help people thrive, CID’s researchers and programs partner in countries around the world to generate cutting-edge research and evidence to empower people to participate in policy, markets, and their communities.
Our Values - CID CARES
Always Collaborate: We play to our strengths and pitch in to help each other. We think critically and mindfully about our contributions to the group and prioritize collective success.
Stay Accountable: We put in 100% effort and strive for high quality work that people can count on. We learn from our mistakes and move ahead with a growth mindset to further our mission.
Show Respect: We demonstrate care through our words, tone, actions, and body language. We appreciate that we each come to the table with different perspectives, and we strive to communicate transparently and listen with intent.
Use Evidence: We measure and analyze our impact to continuously improve the effectiveness of our work. We build on past successes and use data and evidence to inform decision-making.
Work Sustainably: We are attuned to our team’s wellbeing, personal circumstances, and priorities outside of work. We prioritize healthy ways of working and self-care while recognizing the responsibility we have in advancing our mission.
Our Research
CID is Harvard University’s hub for cutting-edge research on the world’s most pressing international development issues. The Center brings researchers and practitioners together to collaborate, using the latest analytical tools to address pressing development challenges. Research at CID is conducted by our talented, diverse community of research programs, faculty affiliates, fellows, and students.
More About CID
Research Programs & Initiatives
The Center for International Development serves as a research hub advancing understanding of global development challenges.
CID Faculty Affiliates
CID’s faculty affiliates embody the breadth and depth of international development research at Harvard.
CID Fellows
The Harvard Center for International Development offers fellowship programs that span our different research themes and programs.