Harvard Emirates Leadership Initiative Fellowship 2027 in USA

This is the Harvard Emirates Leadership Initiative Research Fellowship in the USA, designed for junior and mid-career policy-oriented scholars and faculty. The fellowship provides a ten-month opportunity to pursue an independent research project at Harvard University, focusing on critical public policy areas relevant to the UAE, the Gulf region, and the broader Arab world. The program aims to advance scholarship and identify evidence-based solutions to pressing public policy challenges. Fellows are expected to be physically present at Harvard University from September 1 to June 30 and produce a significant deliverable such as a book manuscript, journal article, working paper, or policy brief.

This is a fully-funded fellowship. Fellows receive a ten-month stipend, with amounts varying based on academic status: - Predoctoral fellows and mid-career practitioners without a PhD will receive $55,000. - Postdoctoral fellows (who received their doctoral degrees less than five years before the appointment start date) will receive $65,000. - Fellows who received their doctoral degrees more than five years before their fellowship start date will receive $75,000. Additionally, fellows gain access to Harvard’s extensive libraries and other resources to support their research and may collaborate with Harvard fellows and faculty.

This fellowship is open to junior and mid-career policy-oriented scholars and faculty from all nationalities. While there is a particular focus on scholars who are from and intend to return to the UAE, the Gulf, and the Arab world, the opportunity is not restricted to these regions. Applicants may include local scholars, policy analysts, public servants, and social scientists. Candidates must propose research with strong potential for constructive, real-world impact, specifically focusing on priority areas such as optimizing governance, increasing economic dynamism, strengthening human capital, or improving public policy design and delivery. Fellows must commit to being physically present at Harvard University for the entire ten-month duration of the fellowship.

Applicants must submit the following documents: - A comprehensive CV/Resume. - A research proposal (3-5 pages) outlining the project intended to be pursued at Harvard Kennedy School. This proposal should also indicate 2-3 Harvard faculty members with whom the applicant would like to collaborate if selected. - Unofficial transcripts for applicants who have not yet earned a PhD. - Contact information for three recommenders. - A writing sample (fewer than 50 pages in English), which must include an abstract of 300 words or less and be composed without the use of generative AI. - Applicants must specify whether they are seeking full or partial funding and list any other potential funding sources.

Applications for the 2027-2028 academic year will open on October 1, 2026. Interested candidates must carefully complete the application form on the official Harvard Kennedy School website and submit all required documents before the deadline. It is crucial to ensure that the three letters of recommendation are also submitted by the specified deadline.

The fellowship period runs from September 1 to June 30. The application deadline for the Harvard Emirates Leadership Initiative Fellowship 2027 is December 1, 2026. Letters of recommendation are due by December 15, 2026. Decisions regarding the fellowship will be announced no later than February 27, 2027.