News

April 26, 2023

Ex-New Zealand leader, Ardern takes two appointments at Harvard University

Jacinda Ardern

By Biodun Busari

Former New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern has revealed that she will go into the academic profession at Harvard University.

Ardern who stepped down early this year will be heading to Harvard University for two fellowships.

CNN reported that she was appointed to dual fellowships at the Harvard Kennedy School, the university’s school of public policy and government, according to a news release by Harvard.

She will serve as the Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow, a program aimed at high-profile leaders transitioning from public service roles.

She will also be the Hauser Leader in the School’s Center for Public Leadership, a program where leaders from various sectors help students and faculty build leadership skills.

“Jacinda Ardern showed the world strong and empathetic political leadership,” said Kennedy School Dean Douglas Elmendorf in the news release.

“She earned respect far beyond the shores of her country, and she will bring important insights for our students and will generate vital conversations about the public policy choices facing leaders at all levels.”

“I am incredibly humbled to be joining Harvard University as a fellow – not only will it give me the opportunity to share my experience with others, it will give me a chance to learn,” Ardern said in the release.

“As leaders, there’s often very little time for reflection, but reflection is critical if we are to properly support the next generation of leaders.”

At the same time, Ardern will be completing a separate fellowship at the Harvard Law School’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, where she will be studying ways to contain extremist content online.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Ardern said she would be doing “some speaking, teaching, and learning.”