The Division of Policy Translation and Leadership Development was formed in July 2010 to bridge a divide between scientific evidence and decision-making.
(l to r) Robin Herman, Founding Director of The Forum, Dean Julio Frenk, and Robert Blendon, Division Director
The impetus came from Dean Julio Frenk, a former Minister of Health of Mexico and, at the World Health Organization (WHO), executive director in charge of Evidence and Information for Policy, WHO’s first-ever unit explicitly charged with developing a scientific foundation for health policy to achieve better outcomes.
With this unique perspective on the gap that can often exist between the latest scientific knowledge and those who are charged with implementing health policy, Dean Frenk set out to create a new Division at HSPH .
MISSION
The Division aims to translate scientific knowledge to those individuals in positions that can effect major policy changes, thus improving the public’s health, and to develop a new kind of multinational leadership capacity based on scientific evidence. This is relevant not only to current local, state, national and global figures, but to the leaders of the future – including the students who study at Harvard School of Public Health and those who take our courses from other graduate Schools across Harvard University.
The Division is working to close the gap by building interpersonal networks with high quality videoconferencing capability and exploiting new media channels through programs in The Leadership Studio, our state-of-the-art webcasting and videoconferencing facility. Programs include The Forum at Harvard School of Public Health and Decision-making: Voices from the Field.
The Division also offers ministerial level and executive leadership programs, is developing innovative centers and initiatives, and collaborates with current and former leaders on a local and global stage. This effort is infusing a culture of exchange throughout the School’s academic activities.
