Harvard Kennedy School Receives $1 Million Gift from the Crown Prince Court, Abu Dhabi for Graduate Leadership Fellowship

Abu Dhabi, UAE and Cambridge, MA - The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University has announced a $1 million gift from the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court.  The gift will be used to launch a new graduate fellowship that will support emerging leaders from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while advancing the mission of the School's Middle East Initiative, a nexus for convening policymakers and scholars on the region.

The Abu Dhabi Graduate Leadership Fellowship will make it possible for the UAE's top public service talent to pursue a Mid-Career Master's Degree in Public Administration as part of Harvard Kennedy School's (HKS) Edward S. Mason Program, which is designed specifically for emerging leaders from transitional-economy countries. Graduates of the Mason Program include four sitting heads of government and Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, in addition to a number of prominent international figures.

The first Abu Dhabi Graduate Leadership Fellows will join the Kennedy School for the 2011-12 academic year. Awarded on a merit basis to UAE citizens who work for the Abu Dhabi government, these fellowships will also offer recipients a range of co-curricular activities, including seminars designed to enhance critical leadership skills, public speaking workshops, and mentoring and networking opportunities.

The Crown Prince Court issued the following statement in awarding the fellowship: "This fellowship program echoes President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's steadfast belief that the progress of nations is built on education, and Crown Prince His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's unwavering commitment to education and the constant development of the future ranks of leaders."

"The success of future leaders depends on transnational cooperation and collaborative scholarship," said Harvard Kennedy School Dean David T. Ellwood. "We are delighted to award these fellowships to students from the UAE who will enliven our community and enrich our understanding of their nation and the broader Middle East region. I thank the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi for their vision and generosity in establishing this fellowship."

Nicholas Burns, professor in the practice of diplomacy and international politics at HKS and faculty chair of the School's Middle East Initiative, remarked, "Harvard Kennedy School is grateful to the Crown Prince Court, Abu Dhabi, for its generous support of our students. This important grant will permit deserving students from the UAE to study at the Kennedy School, thereby strengthening our ability to build a larger and more ambitious Middle East program in the years ahead."

The Abu Dhabi Graduate Fellowship will be open to outstanding candidates who have earned admission to Harvard Kennedy School, possess track records of demonstrated excellence in prior public service work, and communicate clear aspirations for returning to Abu Dhabi to work in public service upon graduation.

The Fellowship will provide students the opportunity to forge important and lasting bonds with peers from around the world who share a commitment to public service, collaborate on solutions to pressing problems, and energize public sector leadership.

The Middle East Initiative (MEI) was established in 1998 to deepen and strengthen the Kennedy School's relationship with the governments and peoples of the Middle East. Since that time MEI has launched a series of programs designed for political, civil service, and business leaders from the region with the aim of strengthening good governance. In response to the pivotal and dynamic role of the region in our modern world, HKS is committed to expanding the programs of MEI and deepening its connection with the region.