Executive Education alum Zurab Sanikidze has no shortage of professional experience. His illustrious career spans from the Ministry of Justice in Georgia, where he enacted effective management, development and delivery of public services, as well as institutional reforms in the areas of rule of law, justice, good governance, anticorruption, human rights, to the International Criminal Court, to the National Human Rights Institution and Government of Georgia. In July 2023, he was appointed Head of the Rule of Law and Human Rights Department at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE, Mission to Serbia).
Even with a resume that covers so much influential ground, though, Zurab knows there is always room for further education. This desire to learn is what led him to theSenior Executive Fellows (SEF) program at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Executive Education. Read on to learn more about Zurab’s experience at Harvard.
What challenges were you looking to overcome by attending a Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education program?
I needed international education from top professionals and expert practitioners to achieve my career goals by studying various ways to identify problems and generate solutions carried out by leadership, strategic management, and public policy. Senior Executive Fellows (SEF) had direct links to my immediate and long-term career goals as far as it provided a strategic and systematic approach to problem-solving and of governance.
How are you hoping to/how did you implement lessons from your program in your organization?
SEF provided me the opportunity to expand my vision and philosophy of life and grow personally as well as professionally. The program provided the chance to explore new institutional models and frameworks to enhance my ability to promote effective leadership and strategic management in my home country and globally.
I have been working to promote democratization, the rule of law, human rights, justice, good governance, anticorruption, and public administration in different countries. I strongly believe that the knowledge and skills I gained in SEF are the cornerstone to achieving my professional goals and personal development, as the program gave me the possibility of advanced and practical studies as well as the chance to create an excellent environment in which new arguments and fresh solutions emerge.
How would you describe the value of Executive Education to someone who is considering it?
Completing an HKS Executive Education program was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and life-changing experience! SEF was a practical educational experience whereby we all had an excellent possibility to connect and exchange experiences and to develop a deep knowledge and understanding of effective leadership, strategic management, public policy, democracy and development by attending the lectures of well-known scholars, mentors and expert practitioners.
The value of HKS Executive Education is priceless. I’m now fully equipped with the necessary skills to become a more effective leader and manager, and more efficient in problem-solving, strategic analysis, persuasive communications and negotiations.
What do you hope to accomplish in your future career or what is the next challenge you hope to address using skills/knowledge acquired in your executive education experience?
I am dedicated to my work and devoted to changing the future for the better! Taking into consideration my professional experience and qualifications, it is my strong desire to play an active role in reforming and modernizing rule of law systems to correspond to international standards and to ensure sustainability of the achievements across the globe. I aim to continue participating in different areas as a decision-maker and an opinion former in order to address the challenges facing different countries. As a result, I want to be a part of the advancement of democratic reforms and the rule of law globally.
I am very thankful to the Harvard Kennedy School for providing me with such an amazing opportunity to be a part of Harvard community as well as to the United States Department of Justice that assisted me financially to make it possible.
Read more stories of our alumni and their accomplishments here.