Harvard will be the world’s recognized leader in sustainable inclusive excellence by fostering a campus culture
where everyone can thrive

What is Inclusive Excellence?

A community that draws on the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity. One that fully embraces individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.

Learn more about Inclusive Excellence at Harvard

Where Everyone Can Thrive

Harvard University is committed to fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive, a key to which is ensuring that we each experience a profound sense of inclusion and belonging. 
To that end, as a reminder, our established core values are as follows:

Harvard's five core values:

Harvard community members are encouraged to always model our values of inclusion and excellence no matter where they are. Especially during difficult and uncertain times — whether locally, nationally, or internationally— let us always choose empathy and kindness, while rejecting hate and honoring the rights, differences, and dignity of others.

  • The Choice Is Ours - Statement from Dr. John Silvanus Wilson

    Dealing with the stress and angst of the Covid-19 pandemic was hard enough, especially given its disparate impact on minority populations and the increased hate against Asian-Americans. Yet, those difficulties were worsened by the shocking circumstances surrounding the deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Nina Pop (a victim of the increasing violence against transgender black women). And then we all spent the past week being literally stunned with sadness, pain and anger stemming from the graphic and widely-viewed murder of George Floyd. Now, it seems appropriate to regard the matter of America’s racial injustice and inequity, not merely as a crisis warranting urgency, but it should be seen as a national emergency.

    Read the full statement

  • Encouraging kindness and compassion

    We urge all Harvard community members to embody our five core values on and far beyond our campus. Collectively, our values point us toward inclusive excellence, which is especially relevant with so many of us being apart and experiencing high levels of stress. Unfortunately, we are hearing reports of increased anti-Asian discrimination, prejudice and harassment, globally. These hateful acts are both intolerable and inconsistent with our values. As we encourage kindness and compassion, we also urge support of those in the Asian community and any other targeted communities. Harvard condemns stereotyping and violence against any group and for any reason… and especially in times like these.

    Click here for updates from ODIB

  • Project Spotlight: Teachly

    Teachly is a web application developed at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) to help faculty teach more effectively and inclusively (more details below). It has now been used by over 100 faculty members at HKS, HGSE and HCSPH. Learn more by visiting the website teachly.me

  • Pulse Survey on Inclusion & Belonging

    Harvard University administered a campus-wide pilot “Pulse” Inclusion and Belonging survey in the spring of 2019 to over 50,000 members of the Harvard community. The results of this survey are intended to help the University realize a culture of sustainable inclusive excellence by providing data to those working on inclusion and belonging.

    View the results

     

    Pulse Survey Chart Image

  • this is how you say my name screen shot        

    Project Spotlight: This Is How You Say My Name

    The Culture Lab Innovation fund (CLIF) helped fund a name recording tool that allows the Harvard community to record their name in my.harvard and the Harvard directory.

    Learn about CLIF projects