The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies is dedicated to increasing our knowledge of the culture, history, and institutions of the world's major regions and countries.

The mission of the Academy Scholars Program is to train social scientists in area studies—focusing especially on the non-Western areas of the world.

The Academy's premise is that the scholarly world needs individuals who combine thorough disciplinary and area specialization, and the Academy Scholars Program was established to facilitate this goal. The Academy also organizes seminars and conferences, and supports Harvard faculty research, and sponsors publications.

The Academy Scholars program has been made possible through the generous support of Dr. Ira Kukin, founding benefactor of the Harvard Academy; the Pew Charitable Trusts; the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; and Albert and Celia Weatherhead and the Weatherhead Foundation.