Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who led her country through a devastating mass shooting, will join Harvard University on a temporary basis later this year, according to Kennedy School Dean Douglas Elmendorf. Ardern, a global icon of the left and an inspiration to women worldwide, has been awarded dual fellowships at Harvard Kennedy School. Beginning this fall, she will be the 2023 Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow and a Hauser Leader in the school’s Centre for Public Leadership. Ardern, who was 37 when she became Prime Minister in 2017, stunned New Zealanders when she announced in January that she was stepping down after more than 5 years in office because she no longer had “enough in the tank” to do it justice. She was under increasing political pressure at home, including for her handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which was initially lauded but later criticised by those who opposed mandates and rules. She sees the Harvard opportunity as an opportunity to not only share her experience with others, but also to learn. “As leaders, we often have very little time for reflection,” she said, “but reflection is critical if we are to properly support the next generation of leaders.”
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