Harvard revoked fellowship offer over pro-Palestine views, professor says

A Columbia University professor and Human Rights Watch staff member said the Harvard Kennedy School offered him a fellowship only to revoke it less than three weeks later — a move he said was allegedly prompted by his pro-Palestine advocacy.

The Harvard Crimson reported Thursday that the Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights offered the fellowship to A. Kayum Ahmed earlier this month. But on Monday, the school notified Ahmed that the unpaid, non-resident position fellowship had been extended “prematurely without going through Harvard Kennedy School’s full review and vetting process.” 

In a letter dated April 3, Harvard notified Ahmed that he had been granted the fellowship. Ahmed shared the letter on his LinkedIn profile. This week, Ahmed shared an update on LinkedIn alleging that Harvard withdrew the fellowship because of his pro-Palestianian activism.

“Despite initial acceptance, Harvard University Kennedy School reversed its decision after what I understand to be pressure from pro-Israeli groups —because of my vocal and principled support for Palestinian liberation,” Ahmed wrote in the post. “The administration has cited ‘a process error’ in its explanation. But we know that process is often weaponized to protect power and silence dissent.”

Harvard Kennedy School spokesperson Daniel B. Harsha denied Ahmed’s allegations to The Crimson, telling the outlet that the school does “not disqualify candidates because of their views or because they are controversial. This process is independent, and we do not under any circumstances take direction on appointments from outside groups.”

In 2023, Harvard also revoked former Human Rights Watch Director Kenneth Roth’s Carr Center fellowship, which he attributed to his criticisms of Israel. Following a backlash, the university reversed course and again offered Roth the fellowship.

The withdrawal of Ahmed’s fellowship offer comes after Harvard publicly pushed back against a list of demands by the Trump administration, including that the university provide “oversight and accountability for biased programs that fuel antisemitism.” 

On April 3, Harvard banned activities from a pro-Palestine student group amid threats to its federal funding.