Kuwait Foundation Gift Enhances Kennedy School Middle East Initiative

On July 9, the Belfer Center’s Middle East Initiative (MEI) formalized a new five-year agreement with Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS). The $8.1 million gift to Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) ensures the continuation of the MEI’s Kuwait Program at Harvard, and will support a number of initiatives, including a visiting scholars program, degree fellowships for students from the Gulf and wider Mideast region, faculty research, customized executive education programs, and executive education fellowships in existing programs

Hillary Rantisi, director of the Middle East Initiative, notes that since the program began in 2001, it has provided support for a number of faculty research projects, hosted visiting specialists on the Gulf region, delivered customized executive education programs, and provided executive education fellowships. The program is designed to complement and reinforce Kuwait’s independent efforts and progress toward meeting the global and regional policy needs facing the state of Kuwait, the Gulf, and the wider Arab world.

The agreement was reached in a meeting hosted by Harvard President Drew Faust that included HKS Dean David Ellwood, Middle East Initiative Faculty Chair Nicholas Burns, and Belfer Center Director Graham Allison.

“This generous gift,” said Burns, “will broaden our capacity to engage in research, executive education, and teaching on the Middle East and to bring leaders from throughout the region to our School. We hope it will also promote a much more intensive exchange among our students and the young people of the Middle East at a time of reform and hope in the region.”