Ms Barker is one of 46 mayors from 15 countries — who combined represent more than 22 million people — to join the programme.
A Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative press release, shared by the Dunedin City Council, said the initiative was led by Bloomberg Philanthropies through its government innovation programme intended to strengthen mayoral leadership and local government across the globe.
‘‘Through the nine-month professional management programme, [Ms] Barker will gain strategies to improve how local government works and moves residents’ chief priorities forward.’’
The mayors will work alongside ‘‘Harvard faculty, policy experts, veteran managers and fellow mayors — periodically in classrooms, virtual sessions and in the field — beginning with a multi-day convening in New York City this week’’.
‘‘Participants learn to organise teams around outcomes, ground decisions in evidence, and collaborate across departments and sectors — applying lessons directly to the issues at home.’’
Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale was also part of the initiative.
All costs are covered by the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative.
