The purpose of the Frontline Negotiation Lab is to build the capacity of graduate students to navigate complex political crises in uncertain times, to develop a strategic vision on how to respond to humanitarian, social and climate emergencies, and to plan a negotiation process in adversarial conditions. Through an experiential learning approach, the course will present a systematic methodology to engage in complex negotiations in a proactive and practical manner. It will offer a set of tools and methods to plan complex negotiation as well as facilitate learning through student’s engagement with seasoned practitioners working in these environments.
This one-week intensive on-campus course is designed for those planning to work in high-intensity environments such as pandemics, climate crises, natural disasters, armed conflicts and other critical situations. This is a demanding course for highly motivated and committed students. Student selection takes place through an application process.
Please note, IGA-353M meets from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM over five consecutive days in the J-term (January 5 – 9, 2026.) If you have any questions please contact Claude Bruderlein, Faculty Instructor, at cbruderl@hsph.harvard.edu.
Students interested in advancing their expertise in the use of AI for negotiation and policymaking are invited to join the extended non-credit segment of the Frontline Negotiation Lab, taking place in the second week of January Term (January 12-16). This session will explore both the opportunities and challenges of designing and testing customized AI model using OpenAI's ChatGPT, examine additional AI models for strategic planning with machine learning experts, and reflect on the risks and safeguards associated with deploying AI tools in negotiation and diplomacy.
Also offered by the School of Public Health as GHP 543.