One New Zealand Harkness Fellowship worth up to NZ$60,000 is being offered in 2025 (for travel in mid-late 2025), to a leader currently employed in in the New Zealand Public Sector.  The length and total value of the Fellowship will be determined by the LDC and Harkness Trust Board, in conjunction with the successful applicant.

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The New Zealand Harkness Fellowships were established in 2009 by the New Zealand Harkness Fellowships Trust Board to reinforce links between New Zealand and the US and to enable executive leaders in the Public Sector to benefit from study and travel in the US. Their purpose is to enable appointed Fellows to gain first-hand knowledge and build contacts in their chosen field of endeavour that will be highly relevant to the NZ context and future NZ/US links. The Trust Board is working in partnership with the Leadership Development Centre, which is acting on behalf of the NZ Government.

The programme has four goals:

• Reinforce New Zealand-United States links by enabling actual or potential leaders and opinion formers in New Zealand to benefit from new ideas, practices and new contacts in the US;
• Increase the Fellow’s ability to bring about change and improvements in New Zealand;
• Help improve the cross-fertilisation of ideas and experience between New Zealand and the United States; and
• Build a leadership network on both sides of the Pacific, encourage ongoing exchange between New Zealand and the United States and establish enduring relationships offering reciprocal benefits to both countries.

As part of your fellowship proposal, you will need to;

• State the objectives and methodology of your proposed project.
• Describe the significance of your project for your field in both the US and New Zealand.
• Outline your ideas for how your experiences in the US will be communicated and applied to the New Zealand context to effect a particular outcome(s).
• Demonstrate a track record of learning and growth in characteristics representative of the future leadership that the New Zealand Public Sector needs.
• Provide evidence of a planned and purposeful approach to the Fellowship.

Fellows are expected to be based at a government agency, university, research institute or ‘think tank’ for a significant part of their stay in the US.

Entitlement

One fellowship valued at up to NZ$60,000 will be offered in 2025 (for an award start date in mid-late 2025). New Zealand Harkness Fellowships are intended to contribute towards travel costs (international and domestic), accommodation and per diem expenses. Additional costs in excess of NZ$60,000 must be met by the Fellow and/or their New Zealand employer.

Read about previous fellow’s experience:

2024 fellow: Sarah Box (Harkness Fellowship Trust)

2023 fellow: Aimee Hadrup (Harkness Fellowship Trust) and Jym Clark

2016 fellow: Aphra Green (Public Service Commission)