University of Chicago, Harris School of Public Policy Studies

Formed in 1988, the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago is a professional school that works to support sound public policies through research and by preparing talented individuals to become leaders, teachers, and practitioners. This project aims to build upon the technical achievements of the Iran deal to increase opportunities for scientific cooperation among the Gulf countries and Iran. These activities are designed to build confidence among technical experts in the region in order to cultivate opportunities for deeper engagement and stabilization over the longer term—using the Iran deal as a basis.

The Cultural Policy Center was based at the University of Chicago from 1999 until 2016. It supported the arts community by researching important applied and theoretical issues, convened conversations about critical topics, and taught graduate students in the humanities, social sciences, and policy fields about the arts. In 2016, the University of Chicago announced the merger of the Cultural Policy Center with Place Lab, which is a partnership between Arts + Public Life and the Harris School of Public Policy, both of which are also affiliated with the University. Place Lab consists of a team of social scientists, architects, creative professionals, and business leaders who work together on urban transformation and creative redevelopment projects. The merger of Place Lab and the Cultural Policy Center will bring a broader base of data, policy analytics, and evaluation rigor to Place Lab’s ethical and equity-focused urban transformation work. Grant funds support activities related to cultural policy research and convenings about the role of arts in urban spaces.

The Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago is a professional school that works to support sound public policies by preparing talented individuals to become teachers,
researchers, and leaders. The Computing and Public Policy project is an effort to train policymakers to use information technologies to address public policy challenges, and to develop resources to support public sector organizations seeking to do the same. The award supports development of external education initiatives in data science and public policy, and a fieldbuilding meeting of other universities seeking to do the same. It will lead to new knowledge
about demand- and supply-side issues with the market for training tech-savvy policymakers, and
a model curriculum and program design for executive education in public policy and data science.

The University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy Studies supports sound public policies through research and by preparing talented individuals to become leaders, teachers, and practitioners. Its Computing and Public Policy project is an effort to train policymakers to use information technologies to address public policy challenges, and help them develop resources to support organizations seeking to do the same. The Harris School will use this grant to develop curricula for a new Knowledge Systems in the Public Sector certificate and degree program, launch a Chief Information Officers Forum, and establish a two-year Fellowship for Urban Science.

In 2011, former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley was appointed by the University of Chicago as a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Harris School of Public Policy Studies. The five-year appointment includes new activities and programs that address a range of national and global urban policy issues, all designed to enhance the future of cities and to enrich Harris School students’ education through practical policy experience. This grant will be used to provide professional staff to manage the expanded program’s activities, ensure their success, and coordinate them with other relevant activities and programs across the University.