About Askwith Forums

The Askwith Forum is a series of public lectures at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). The forum events highlight HGSE faculty and other leaders in the field to share new knowledge, generate spirited conversation, and offer insight into the highest priority challenges facing education.

Over the past three years, the Askwith Forum has featured a wide range of topics, including early childhood, civic and moral engagement, expanded learning models, educating for human rights, and international education. Topics are initiated by faculty, students, and alumni, and aim to address the highest-priority challenges facing the education sector.

Prominent speakers have included Teach For America CEO Wendy Kopp, author Jonathan Kozol, Boston Public Schools Superintendent Carol Johnson, New York Times columnist Bob Herbert, broadcast journalist John Merrow, and several members of the HGSE and Harvard faculty. HGSE is committed to bringing together people of diverse viewpoints and providing a forum for open discussion and accessible learning.

HGSE makes an impact in education through its work at the nexus of practice, policy, and research. The forum events provide an opportunity for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to share their work, to talk with one another, and to advance proven practices that will improve learning opportunities for all children.

The Askwith Forum is open to the public; audiences generally include HGSE faculty, staff, and students; local educators; and a wide range of professionals and parents with a keen interest in improving education. In most cases, the events are recorded and made available online. The Askwith Forum has generated an average of 1,500-2,000 attendees per year and is a vibrant part of the HGSE community. We plan on 8-12 events per year across a broad range of education topics.

The Askwith Forums were established in 1998 by an anonymous donor and named in honor of Herbert Askwith AB'(19)07, who was a noted New York City public-relations consultant, writer and publishing executive.