Negotiation Strategies Institute

(a Harvard Negotiation Project initiative)
Academic Advisor and Sponsor: James K. Sebenius

NSIThe Negotiation Strategies Institute (NSI), under the academic sponsorship of the Harvard Negotiation Project (HNP), invests in the human capital of leaders in the Middle East, with the purpose of supporting those who shape today’s decision-making processes in their pursuit of transforming conflict and promoting a better future for the region.

NSI serves as a platform for leaders to learn, network, and catalyze new ways of thinking and new possibilities. While there are no quick fixes for the deeply rooted problems in the Middle East, there is a strong recognition for the need to improve negotiation practices, have a space to reflect on patterns of thinking and behavior, and maintain informal communication across groups.

NSI’s programs include:

  1. The Executive Program on Negotiation Strategies for mid-career government officials and societal leaders. Every year 20 to 30 prominent individuals from the Middle East are selected for a ten-month non-residential Executive Program. Participants undertake a unique educational experience with renowned negotiation experts and high-level practitioners through hands-on and practice-oriented workshops. They benefit from a unique body of knowledge and network of experts including projects such as Harvard’s Great Negotiator Award, the Secretaries of States Project, and the Harvard International Negotiation Program.
  2. Convening Forums of high-ranking officials and leaders in the Middle East. Through the forums NSI facilitates exchanges and helps generate fresh thinking on regional negotiation issues, while exposing participants to negotiation best practices and global expertise.
  3. The Network is an evolving community of practice for those who graduate the executive program. The Network supports the ongoing professional growth of its members as leaders in their societies and facilitates its members’ initiatives.

NSI’s Academic Chair is Professor James Sebenius. Board members include Jane Sherburne (Chair), Dr. Daniel Shapiro, Prof. Alain Lempereur, Ken Hyatt, Naseem Khuri, and Oliver McTernan. The Advisory Board includes Mark Gordon, Nancy Buck, and Sergio Jaramillo Caro. Affiliated experts include Dr. Elizabeth McClintock, Dr. Rev. Gary Mason, Jamil Mahuad, Jayne Nucete, Jim Tull, Monica Giannone, Ron Fortgang, Stacy Heen Lennon, and William Ury.

NSI work is made possible thanks to the support of families, foundations, and governments. Amongst them are the Silverstein Family (William James Foundation), the Folke Bernadotte Academy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the German Federal Foreign Office, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain.