The Arms Control Negotiation Academy (ACONA) is a 12-month high-level professional development program for a competitively selected cohort of 16 rising international security experts and practitioners.
The world is facing new global security threats. Great power and regional tensions are on the rise. The post–World War II security architecture is disintegrating. Six institutions from the United States, Russia, and Europe join forces and ask the next generation of arms control negotiators to meet the security challenges of our time.
What Is ACONA?
The Arms Control Negotiation Academy (ACONA) is a 12-month high-level professional development program for a competitively selected cohort of rising international security experts and practitioners. The ambitious training curriculum addresses critical historical case studies, technological know-how, and advanced negotiation skills in the realm of arms control. Participants earn a Certificate in Arms Control Negotiation and become part of ACONA’s network of next-generation arms control negotiators.
Program
ACONA Fellows partake in three 5-day workshops (“boot camps”) to attend expert lectures, participate in negotiation exercises, and engage in small group discussions with distinguished scholars and practitioners. Past ACONA speakers have included Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States Anatoly Antonov and former EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, as well as ACONA International Advisory Board members Alexei Arbatov, Rose Gottemoeller, Pavel Palazhchenko, and William Potter.
ACONA Fellows are required to participate in all boot camps, actively engage in discussions, collaborate with a small group of Fellows on an international research project, and submit the results of that project by the end of their 12-month fellowship.
The fellowship covers the cost of travel to and accommodation at the boot camps. Boot camps are either virtually held or hosted in person in Reykjavík, Iceland.
Eligibility
ACONA welcomes applications by highly qualified candidates of all nationalities who demonstrate 3–5 years of advanced professional or research experience in one of the following broad fields: (1) arms control and nuclear issues, (2) negotiation and mediation, and (3) international peace, security, and global affairs, particularly U.S.-Russia-China-EU relations. The most highly qualified candidates will be able to demonstrate several years of professional or research experience in their field, international experience, an advanced degree, and public recognition of their achievements.
Application
Applications for the 2021-2022 ACONA Fellowship Cohort are closed. The call for applications for the 2022-2023 ACONA Fellowship Cohort will open in March 2022 and close in May 2022. The exact deadlines will be announced later.
To apply, applicants will need to submit the following documents:
- Motivation letter (see the ACONA website for letter requirements);
- CV or resume that reflects relevant experience; and
- 1 recommendation letter that highlights exceptional relevant work.
Both the motivation letter and CV/resume should be attached to an email in PDF format and submitted to ACONA by the applicant. The recommendation letter must be submitted to ACONA by the recommender, not by the applicant. Candidates will be notified of their acceptance in June 2022.
For more information, please visit www.acona.fas.harvard.edu.
Partners
ACONA is a collaborative effort of the Negotiation Task Force (NTF) of Harvard University’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies; the History and Public Policy Program (HAPP) at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Höfði Reykjavík Peace Centre; National Research University—Higher School of Economics (HSE); Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO); Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF); the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS); and the Project on Managing the Atom (MTA) at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
Contact
Arms Control Negotiation Academy (ACONA)
Negotiation Task Force (NTF)
Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies
Harvard University
1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Web: www.acona.fas.harvard.edu
Email: acona@fas.harvard.edu
Phone: +1 (617) 496-2180
