2026
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The HMLP is affiliated with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Harvard Kennedy School.
2025
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Agriculture, Health, and Education
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The
Program

Program
Structure

The HMLP is not an academic exercise. It is a practically focused program of interactive discussions informed by case studies and global experience, as well as insights from former and current participating ministers. The distinguished group of former and long-serving heads of government and Ministers from around the world also serves as peer advisors to participating ministers. The HMLP is designed to have three components for each cohort of ministers with a pre-Forum virtual engagement, an intensive four-day in-person Forum at Harvard, and post-Forum support. By doing so, it helps ministers and government leaders define or refine the major transformative goal they will pursue, with a heightened sense of urgency, during their time in office, with an implementation framework for that goal.

This Program is also designed to equip Ministers with additional skills they can employ to exercise more effective leadership, deliver measurable results, and assert political influence to enable cross-government collaboration.

Harvard
Ministerial
Forum

Each year a select number of serving finance, economic planning, education, health, and other Ministers with human development-related responsibilities from Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America is invited to the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Forums at Harvard University.

The Forums are practically focused and discussion-based, informed by case studies and the experience of former and long-serving Ministers from around the world. The curriculum concentrates on five main topics:

  • Transformative leadership and political strategy
  • Strategic human development priority setting and investment choices
  • Increased budget effectiveness and system efficiency to improve human development outcomes
  • Cross-sectoral collaboration to enhance sustainable economic advancement
  • Effective organization and management of policy implementation
Her Excellency Cristina Duarte, the UN Special Advisory for Africa and the Former Minister of Finance and Administration for Cape Verde, provides remarks during a panel discussion at the 2022 Harvard Ministerial Roundtable in Addis Ababa.
The Hon. Matthew Prempeh, Minister of Energy and former Minister of Education of Ghana, in the right of the picture participates in working group during the 2018 Roundtable taking place in Johannesburg. H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, former President of Tanzania, in the left of the picture listens to Minister Prempeh’s remarks.
The Rt. Hon. Luisa Diogo, former Prime Minister of Mozambique, in the left of the picture and Her Excellency Joyce Banda, former President of Malawi, in the right of the picture welcome Ethiopian President, Her Excellency Sahle-Work Zewde, in the middle of the picture to the 2022 Roundtable meeting in Addis Ababa. The three women converse while walking down a corridor to the meeting, accompanied by a group of Ministers and security personnel.
Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia, answers questions during a discussion at the 2021 Harvard Ministerial Forum for Sectoral Ministers.

Pre- & Post- Harvard
Support

Prior to coming to Harvard, ministers have induction calls, are introduced to key objectives of the Program, and are guided in defining or refining their priority and their legacy goal for their time in office. The goal of the pre-Harvard engagement is to ensure ministers are well prepared to get the best value from their time at Harvard. During this time, they are also linked with Program peer advisors to get mentorship support.

Following the Forum, targeted follow-up and support is provided within the first year. Ministers have access to a menu of technical support opportunities including webinars, research support, online training materials, intended mainly to support implementation of their legacy goals. This support is a combination of virtual and in-country engagement. Some specific technical support may be provided based on the request of participating ministers.

VIRTUAL
IMPLEMENTATION
PLATFORM

The Virtual Implementation Platform (VIP) combines cutting-edge online learning modules, customized technical support, and virtual mentoring designed to support senior Ministry leadership in implementation planning and managing Ministers’ legacy goals.

IN-COUNTRY
POLICY RESEARCH

The Program offers Ministers selective policy research support by graduate-level Harvard students as requested. An additional policy research opportunity is made possible by the Tessa Jowell Fellowship awarded annually to a Harvard Doctoral Student for research supporting Ministers participating in the Ministerial Program.

Peer Networking

In addition to peer networking during the Forum, all Program alumni have access to an exclusive online community of ministerial peers, as well as distinguished peer advisors, whom ministers may tap for continued practical guidance and support in achieving their Legacy Goals.

REACH OF
THE PROGRAM:
2012–2024

Since its inception, 306 Ministers from 74 countries have participated in the Program.