The Politics & Policy Program

The intersection of business and policy in practice.

The Politics and Policy Program (PPP) is a flagship co-curricular initiative that empowers students at the Lauder Institute to explore the intersection of business and policy. The year-long experience immerses participants in the policy context of global business through training workshops, sessions with policy professionals, and independent field research. In immersing students in the complexities of global business, PPP readies them for future leadership on the world stage.    

PPP students undergo a rigorous and competitive application process. Successful applicants are those who present a timely policy issue affecting business, with special consideration given to proposals tied to the Lauder Institute’s Geopolitical Themes. Students are notified of their acceptance into the program before the spring term of their first year at Lauder.  

PPP formally begins with skill-building and training workshops in Philadelphia, PA. These workshops equip participants with the resources, skills, and competencies needed to plan and conduct international field research independently, including interviewing, source generation, intercultural communication, and network mapping. Beyond training, they delve into policymaking and policy-adjacent fields through small-group sessions with subject matter experts at the Penn Washington Center in Washington, DC. These experiences endow them with an intimate understanding of the policy context in which business happens worldwide and encourage them to develop an outside-in perspective on policy issues in the U.S. and around the world. 

Specifically, participants use their knowledge and skill acquisition to execute up to 10 days of field research in one country, plus Washington, DC (if appropriate). During this experience, they source and interview policymakers, scholars, government officials, journalists, and other experts to collect primary data about a policy issue of interest to them. Upon returning from fieldwork, participants produce a policy brief for dissemination to key decision-makers. Students who satisfy all program requirements are distinguished at the time of graduation as “Lauder Politics and Policy Fellows.”