Bloomberg Philanthropies and Harvard University Launch Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative
Bloomberg Committing $32 Million for New Leadership Program for Mayors and Senior Aides; University to Design Comprehensive Program of Support to Advance Public Sector Management and Innovation
Bloomberg Philanthropies and Harvard University are jointly announcing the launch of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, a collaboration to advance leadership, management and innovation in cities across America and around the world. Funded by a $32 million gift from Michael R. Bloomberg and administered through Harvard, the Initiative will equip city leaders with the tools, skills and support increasingly required to tackle the complex leadership and management challenges faced in governing cities around the globe.
Within the next four years, as many as 300 mayors and 400 top mayoral aides will participate in the Initiative’s executive training programs. This ambitious effort will generate the world’s largest hub of new and customized curriculum, instructional and technology tools – most of which will be made freely available to the world – and cases focused on innovative city leadership. The Initiative will also create student internships in mayors’ offices, on-demand programming for participating cities, significant new research on innovative city government, and an executive coaching program through which successful mayors mentor newcomers. Each year, a select number of mayors and key aides will be invited to New York to participate in interactive convenings.
With more and more of the world living in cities, mayors are increasingly responsible for solving major challenges we face, from climate change to poverty to public health,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, three-term Mayor of New York City, philanthropist, and Harvard alum.
But despite the importance of the role, mayors often lack opportunities to learn from experts – and one another. By giving mayors tools and resources – and by connecting them with peers facing many of the same challenges – this program will go a long way toward helping them run cities more effectively.”
The Initiative will create extensive collaboration between Harvard Business School (HBS) and Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Executive Education programs, bringing together Harvard University’s preeminent array of scholars, and integrating the governance ideas, management tools, and leadership techniques each school has to offer. It will also bring to bear Bloomberg Philanthropies’ extensive network of experts and experience working in more than 400 cities around the globe to solve major problems and improve city life.