RED HORIZON
Force and Diplomacy in Eurasia
Join the Immersive Executive Education Program on the Harvard University campus
Our world is an increasingly complex and dangerous place. It needs real leaders to keep it safe.
Transform the way you think about international security. Step outside your daily routine and practice advanced negotiation and decision-making skills in a realistic international crisis scenario.
RED HORIZON: Force and Diplomacy in Eurasia is an immersive Executive Education Program brought to you by the Negotiation Task Force of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University.
4
TEAMS
70
NEGOTIATORS
452
MILITARY UNITS
An intensely
immersive scenario...
Chaos on the Korean peninsula. The Kim dynasty has collapsed. Chinese military forces have moved in to “restore order.”
The incursion stuns the United States and her allies. North Korean generals in command of nuclear forces are rumored to be defecting. To whom? Intelligence is unreliable.
Tensions are rising in Europe, too. The U.S. has deployed next-generation missile defenses to Poland. To “defend Arctic shipping,” NATO prepares the largest maritime maneuver since the Cold War. In response, the Russian Northern Fleet moves to high alert.
...based on urgent geopolitical challenges.
Decision makers today must operate in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment.
The possibility of great power conflict has reemerged as a serious threat. International competition is intensifying across the political, economic, and informational spheres. At the same time, new technologies have allowed non-state actors to influence global conflict in novel ways.
These trends have challenged traditional instruments of statecraft, creating new opportunities for cooperation, but increasing the risk of conflict.
Through the RED HORIZON experience, you will uncover the hidden drivers of geopolitics, and acquire tools you need to tackle the world’s toughest problems.
"One of the most powerful decision-making exercises I have ever participated in."
— Career U.S. Naval Officer
Negotiate with the best.
RED HORIZON provides seasoned and emerging leaders from national security, academia, and industry with a unique training space to push their negotiation and decision-making skills to the next level.
You will be assigned to a team (U.S., China, Russia, or NATO) and receive a confidential briefing that outlines your objectives. Your realistic actor profile is created from data-driven research, informed by political trends across the Eurasian sphere and the Indo-Pacific. You conclude the exercise with a scenario debrief led by Negotiation Task Force experts.
Upon completion of the three-day virtual workshop, you will receive an official Certificate of Completion issued by the Negotiation Task Force of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University.
“ A must for those wanting to understand the real-world pressures of policy-making.”
— Civil Servant, UK Ministry of Defence
Sharpen advanced
negotiation
skills.
1
Defuse dangerous cognitive traps that threaten you and your team.
2
Align powerful stakeholders across hierarchies, organizational cultures, and political systems.
3
Emerge as a leader who can turn chaos to their advantage.
“An irreplaceable experience that sharpened my negotiation and decision-making skills and improved my situational analysis.”
– Ambassador-at-large, Lithuania
3D Methodology
Our advanced simulation methodology obviates the need for a control cell and expands the boundaries of what is possible in immersive training.
DEEP
A complex scenario that captures the unpredictability of true crises of statecraft.
DYNAMIC
An unparalleled, fully immersive learning environment that evolves alongside your team’s decisions.
DECENTRALIZED
An innovative simulation structure that turns control over to you.
“I strongly recommend this weekend for mid-career or senior foreign policy practitioners involved in military, intelligence and diplomatic work."
— a serving British diplomat
About Our Team
The Negotiation Task Force (NTF) at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University promotes innovative solutions to Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security challenges.
Our team unites scholars, students, and professionals from Harvard University and beyond to produce innovative negotiation research, analyses, and exercises.
We pioneer new models for high-impact knowledge dissemination, train practitioners in advanced negotiation skills, and build long-term conflict management capacity.
Our Advisors & Speakers
Senior Researcher at ETH Zürich's Center for Security Studies; Negotiation Task Force Associate
Director of the Harvard Kennedy School Negotiation Project,
Mohamed Kamal Senior Lecturer in Negotiation and Public Policy
Rawi Abdelal
Herbert F. Johnson Professor of International Management at Harvard Business School; Emma Bloomberg Co-Chair of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative
Timothy Colton
Morris and Anna Feldberg Professor of Government and Russian Studies at Harvard University
Arvid Bell
Director of the Negotiation Task Force at the Davis Center, Lecturer on Government at Harvard University
Alexander Bollfrass
Brian Mandell
Kelly O'Neill
Director of the Imperiia Project at the Davis Center, Lecturer on History at Harvard University
Kevin Ryan
Associate Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School;
Brigadier General (U.S. Army retired)
RED HORIZON: Force & Diplomacy in Eurasia
An Immersive Executive Education Program
We anticipate hosting the next iteration of Red Horizon on the Harvard University campus in 2024. The exact dates will be announced here. Please check this space or sign up for the NTF Newsletter to be notified when applications open.
Questions? Please contact: redhorizon@fas.harvard.edu
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Red Horizon allow large groups to register?
Yes! Large groups from government and military organizations, or businesses, may register. We also provide discounts for certain large groups.
Email RedHorizon@fas.harvard.edu for more information about group registration and special discounts!
When does the event take place?
Red Horizon takes place on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, MA, USA. The dates will be announced on this website.
Previous iterations of Red Horizon took place on the following dates:
Red Horizon 2018, November 30 - December 2
Red Horizon 2019, December 13 - 15
Red Horizon 2020, December 4 - 6
Red Horizon 2021, December 10-12
Red Horizon 2022, December 9-11
Upcoming programs:
Red Horizon 2023: no program planned
Red Horizon 2024: dates to be announced
What is included in the ticket price?
3-day immersive workshop: The weekend features lectures from renowned experts from a variety of fields, including security, diplomacy, negotiation, and international relations, and small-group discussions with these expert speakers and fellow participants. During Saturday’s full-day intensive crisis exercise, participants will be fully immersed in the exercise’s universe, which is facilitated by trained specialists and newly updated to take full advantage of the in-person format. The weekend offers multiple opportunities to interact with fellow participants, experts, and practitioners, including a comprehensive negotiation debrief facilitated by Negotiation Task Force experts. Participants receive catered meals throughout the weekend. As participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation, we recommend potential participants apply to Red Horizon early and make their travel plans upon admission and payment. Attendance on all three days is mandatory.
Certificate of Completion: Upon completion of the 3-day workshop, you will receive an official Certificate of Completion issued by the Negotiation Task Force of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University.
What additional options do I have?
Take your Red Horizon experience to the next level by selecting a for-purchase add on!*
Negotiation Performance Assessment. Receive feedback on your Red Horizon negotiation performance and improve your awareness of your negotiation strengths and weaknesses.
Still have questions? See the FAQ and email us at RedHorizon@fas.harvard.edu
*Restrictions apply, see FAQ for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
1. What is Red Horizon?
“Red Horizon” is an immersive global crisis exercise incubated at the Negotiation Task Force at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University to train participants in advanced negotiation and decision-making skills. “Red Horizon: Force and Diplomacy in Eurasia” is a 3-day Executive Education workshop for senior leaders and decision-makers which features the Red Horizon crisis exercise as well as preparatory briefings and debrief sessions with expert speakers.
2. Is Red Horizon a virtual workshop or an in-person event on the Harvard campus?
Red Horizon has previously been offered as a virtual program or an in-person program on Harvard University's campus. The 2019 and 2020 iterations took place virtually on Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions. We offered Red Horizon 2022 as an in-person program on the Harvard campus and plan to do the same for the next program iteration.
3. What is the program schedule like?
Red Horizon is a 3-day workshop with additional briefings and individual preparation scheduled prior to these three days.
The workshop takes place from Friday to Sunday. On Friday discuss negotiation strategy, hear from experts, and begin initial informal negotiations. On Saturday participants will assume their assigned roles and negotiate the crisis scenario in character. On Sunday participants will debrief the exercise with input from observers and experts. Full attendance throughout these three days is expected and required to earn your Certificate of Completion.
Individual preparation: All participants are expected to spend 2-3 hours reading their individual, confidential briefing instructions prior to the 3-day workshop. You will receive this information one week in advance.
A precise schedule including breaks will be disseminated to participants prior to the start of the program.
4. What sort of coursework is required? Is there anything that I will need to prepare in advance?
Participants will receive reading related to their role assignment prior to the workshop. You must read over these materials prior to the beginning of the workshop.
5. What is the Red Horizon certificate of completion?
All participants who complete the full program will receive a “Certificate of Completion” granted by the Negotiation Task Force, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University.
6. Is Red Horizon a part of a degree-granting program?
No.
7. Can I be granted Harvard University credits for this program?
No. Only students of Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education may receive credit if they complete the associated HES course. Please return to this site and the HES course catalog for updates and more information.
8. When will I receive the program schedule?
A detailed schedule will be sent to participants in advance of the workshop.
9. How often is Red Horizon offered?
Red Horizon is offered as an annual Executive Education program hosted on the Harvard University campus by the Negotiation Task Force of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies each December.
10. If I participated in Red Horizon in a previous year, will I still benefit from participating again?
The Red Horizon scenario content is updated every year to improve your experience. However, the learning objectives and broad picture remain the same. If you wish to participate in Red Horizon multiple times, please contact our team at RedHorizon@fas.harvard.edu to inquire about the benefits of participation and the placement options available to you.
11. What is the expected attire for this program?
“Business casual” dress is recommended for the sessions on Friday and Sunday. Business casual is defined as skirts/pants, open-necked shirts or blouses, and sweaters. For Saturday, the recommended attired is “business formal.” Business formal is defined as jackets and ties, or similarly appropriate attire.
REGISTRATION & PAYMENT
12. How do I apply? What are the admissions requirements?
All potential candidates are required to submit a short formal application that details professional background and interest in the program. You may apply to the program through this site once the application for Red Horizon 2023 opens.
13. How long does it take to complete my application?
No more than 15 minutes.
14. When can I expect to receive an admissions decision?
There are multiple program deadlines. Upon these deadlines, our team will review your application and release your admissions decision to you via email in the following days. Candidates may be “accepted,” “rejected,” or “waitlisted” to the program. Accepted participants will be given 10 business days to complete registration and payment. Waitlisted participants will be informed of a final decision at the application deadline.
15. Is there any advantage to registering early?
Yes! Participants who register early may be able to take advantage of a lower ticket price. Early registrants will also be eligible to take advantage of certain for-purchase add-on options.
16. Is this program open to participants from outside the U.S.?
Yes. Participants have attended Red Horizon from around the globe; in fact, many of our participants come from outside the U.S.
17. Do you offer group discounts?
Yes! Please email RedHorizon@fas.harvard.edu to inquire about group rates.
18. Are there discounts available for students and other groups?
Yes! There are a limited amount of discounts available for students and certain groups. Please note that these rates are extremely limited and will only be available until sold out. Special discounts can also be combined if participants are eligible for more than one. To find out more about discounts and special rates, please email RedHorizon@fas.harvard.edu.
19. What if I register but can no longer attend the event? What is the refund policy?
Participants will be granted partial refunds for their tickets if they choose to cancel their participation at any point after payment. The refund amount is determined by ticket rate and date.
Please contact RedHorizon@fas.harvard.edu with any questions. No full refunds will be granted unless the event is canceled.
20. What is included in the program fee? What exactly are the add-ons?
The program fee includes your program tuition for the three days as well as your electronic certificate of completion. The program tuition includes all weekend activities and catered meals. The weekend features lectures from renowned experts from a variety of fields, including security, diplomacy, negotiation, and international relations, and small-group discussions with these expert speakers and fellow participants. During Saturday’s full-day intensive crisis exercise, participants will be fully immersed in the exercise’s universe, which is facilitated by trained specialists and newly updated to take full advantage of the in-person format. The weekend offers multiple opportunities to interact with fellow participants, experts, and practitioners, including a comprehensive negotiation debrief facilitated by Negotiation Task Force experts.
As participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation, we recommend potential participants apply to Red Horizon early and make their travel plans upon admission and payment. Attendance on all three days is mandatory.
Optional for-purchase add-ons include:
Hard-Copy Certificate of Participation — $35 (including shipping)*: Each Red Horizon participant receives an electronic Certificate of Participation issued by the Negotiation Task Force, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University. Hard-copy versions of the Certificate can be shipped to participants.
Negotiation Performance Assessment — $95: Receive feedback on your Red Horizon negotiation performance. This detailed assessment will contain information on your negotiation behavior from your Red Horizon negotiation partners and can be used to enhance your understanding of how others perceive you as a negotiator and improve your awareness of your negotiation strengths and weaknesses.
*Orders can only be shipped to addresses within the 48 contiguous United States, excluding P.O. boxes.
21. When is payment due?
Once accepted, payment is due upon registration through our payment portal. Registration and payment must be completed within 10 business days of acceptance.
22. Is financial aid available?
No. Financial assistance is not available for the Red Horizon program.
23. If I can’t make the program, can I send someone in my place?
If you can no longer attend, this option is not automatically guaranteed, but it may be possible in some cases. Please contact us at +1-617-496-2180 or RedHorizon@fas.harvard.edu to inquire about your options.
24. What if I have to miss a portion of the program?
To receive a program certificate of completion, you must attend the entire program.
25. Will this event be recorded?
No. No part of this event will be recorded.
TECHNOLOGY
26. Is any special tech or computer software required to participate? For example, do I need a webcam?
Participants will be supplied with a Red Horizon Gmail account in advance of the exercise. All email correspondence during the exercise will be conducted through this account. Participants may also be required to access Zoom at points during the program. If you do not have a Zoom account, you may make one for free at Zoom.us. Participants are expected to participate in video Zoom calls during the exercise and workshop if it is held virtually.
Certain accommodations may be made for those with disabilities. Please contact our team at +1-617-496-2180 or RedHorizon@fas.harvard.edu
POLICIES
27. How does the COVID-19 pandemic affect this event?
Red Horizon is offered as an in-person program held on the Harvard University campus. In the unlikely event of cancellation participants will be notified and granted a full refund. Remote or hybrid participation is not possible at Red Horizon.
28. Attendance
Participants are admitted on the understanding that they will devote their full time to the program. Accordingly, full attendance is required to receive the Certificate of Completion.
29. Media
All participants will have the option to consent or decline to authorize Harvard to record your participation through photograph or video.
30. Accessibility
The Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact us at 617-495-4037 or daviscenter@fas.harvard.edu in advance of your participation. Requests for Sign Language interpreters and/or CART providers should be made at least two weeks in advance if possible. Please note that the Davis Center will make every effort to secure services but that services are subject to availability.
