Cambridge, Mass., – April 6, 2010 – The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University today announced the launch of its new website. The enhanced site now reflects the integration and program development that the Center has accomplished over the past two years. Detailed content and graphics illustrate the Center’s research and programs advancing excellence in governance and strengthening democratic institutions worldwide.
Student Support
The Ash Center is committed to supporting the next generation of scholars and leaders dedicated to the fields of democratic governance and innovation. The new website includes relevant resources to assist with academic study as well as opportunities for funding support in the form of scholarships, research grants, and internships. Launched in November 2008, the Center now offers Ford Foundation Mason Foundation Fellowships to Mason Fellows, the School’s cadre of mid-career students from developing and emerging nations. Such fellowships are part of a portfolio of tuition grant assistance offered by the Center, which also includes Roy and Lila Ash Fellowships as well as the newly created Democracy Fellowships, supporting doctoral and post-doctoral scholars in research related to democratic governance.
Major Initiatives
The three major programmatic initiatives of the Ash Center are now fully integrated on the new website. The Ash Center’s Democratic Governance initiative includes detailed sections on research related to civic participation and democratic practices in former authoritarian regimes as well as information related to its Democracy Seminar Series and Democracy Fellowship program. The Center’s Democratic Governance research agenda was announced in November 2008 and commemorated by Dean David Ellwood as “one of the defining moments of the school,” at the inaugural panel “Democracy in the 21st Century: Global Challenges and Opportunities” in early February 2009.
The Rajawali Foundation Institute for Asia—formerly Asia Programs— convenes leaders, policymakers, students, and scholars committed to enhancing public policy research and teaching on Asia. In January of this year, the Institute was permanently endowed through a $10 million gift from the Rajawali Foundation. Established through a separate $10.5 million gift from the Rajawali Foundation, the HKS Indonesia Program promotes research, education, and capacity building in support of democratic governance and institutional transformation in Indonesia. Existing Ash programs focused on Asia such as the China Policy Program, the Vietnam Program, and Asia Visions 21, along with a newly created HKS Indonesia Program, now live on the Institute for Asia’s pages of the site.
The Center’s Innovations Program has been renamed the Innovations in Government Program and houses a number of research projects and initiatives related to the study of public sector innovation along with its flagship initiative, the Innovations in American Government Awards Program. Now in its 23rd year, the Innovations Awards has honored over 400 public sector initiatives and continues to forward scholarly research and academic study of government innovation. The Awards Program recently launched Bright Ideas, a new initiative that recognizes and promotes promising government programs and partnerships at different stages of development.
In conjunction with the launch of the new website, the Center has completed a portfolio of one-page documents describing key programs and projects. Those interested are welcome to visit the Ash Center to receive copies.
For additional information, please view the new website at www.ash.harvard.edu.
