Home > Events & Meetings > Political Conferences

Political Conferences

Conferences extend the Institute's reach beyond the academic community. Since 1972, the Institute has conducted training every other year for newly elected members of Congress. Training for newly elected mayors of large cities is also held every other year. Every four years, in the weeks between Election Day and the presidential inauguration, the Institute brings together campaign managers and analysts from the major presidential campaigns to examine the electoral process and review campaign decision-making.

In recent years, the Institute has offered conferences by and for students on such topics as campaign organizing, political journalism and minority representation. The Institute also sponsors conferences and events in cooperation with other Harvard student organizations such as Phillips Brooks House, Black Students' Association, Harvard Model United Nations, College Democrats, Republican Club, and Asian-American Students' Association.

The Program for Newly-Elected Members of Congress is a dynamic, integrated, non-partisan orientation program for incoming U.S. Representatives. Intended as an essential complement to the orientation offered by the U.S. House leadership, this Program offers invaluable resources for new Members of Congress looking to maximize their impact as legislators during their first days and months of service.

The Seminar on Transition and Leadership for Newly-Elected Mayors is a dynamic, integrated, non-partisan program for incoming mayors of large U.S. cities. This Program offers invaluable resources for new mayors looking to maximize their impact as city leaders, beginning from their first days in office.

The Institute's Campaign for President series was created in 1972 and runs every four years, in the weeks following Election Day. The Institute brings together campaign managers and analysts from major presidential campaigns to examine the electoral process. They provide a rare exchange of views and confidences about the strategies and tactics employed by the key decision makers in a presidential campaign.