Applied leadership & global affairs problem set
“Can your child use leadership & global affairs thinking on a problem they have never seen?”
What they hand inWorked problems and short write-ups reviewed by the mentor each session.
Early sessionsProgrammes / Leadership & Global Affairs
Programme · Leadership & Global Affairs
HPAIR Leadership Program - Kings' School Al Barsha
Develop essential leadership skills at Kings' School Al Barsha through direct Harvard student mentorship and collaborative problem-solving. Run in collaboration with the Harvard College Project for Asian and International Relations, this in-person programme at Kings' School Al Barsha guides students through core leadership concepts and international problem-solving. Guided by Harvard student mentorship, participants engage in practical group activities, discussions, and strategic exercises designed to build confidence and global perspective. Students emerge with practical communication tools, a broader worldview, and a foundational understanding of leadership principles that help them navigate future academic and personal pursuits.
Next cohort starts Mon, 12 Oct 2026 · USD 650
Decide by 2 OctCohorts of Small live cohort
Length5 days
Cohort sizeSmall live cohort
EligibilityGrades 8–12 (13–17)
Live sessionsLive session times confirmed on registration · live on Zoom
What your child will actually do
Live, mentor-led sessions - worked problems and real output, not lectures.
1
Learn leadership & global affairs the applied way
Develop essential leadership skills at Kings' School Al Barsha through direct Harvard student mentorship and collaborative problem-solving. Every session is live and mentor-led, with discussion instead of lecture.
2
Work on something real each week
Across 5 days, students produce work rather than notes - cases, drafts, builds or analyses depending on the programme.
3
Get individual mentor feedback
Cohorts are kept small so mentors know each student by name and push them at the right level.
4
Finish with something to show
A final project or presentation your child can put in front of a university, a school or you.
Skills your child will gain
Named, practised skills - grouped the way universities read them, tied to how each is used in this programme.
Thinking & analysis
How your child breaks a problem down before touching it.
- Note-taking and synthesis
Practised on live problems in every session - never taught as theory.
- Basic field vocabulary
Mentors make your child justify each step out loud before moving on.
Communication
Writing and speaking so an adult expert takes them seriously.
- Stakeholder writing
Rehearsed in front of a mentor and peers, then corrected on the spot.
- Speaking up in a live room
Written up each week and marked the way a specialist reader would mark it.
Working with people
Deadlines, teams, feedback - the habits universities and employers notice.
- Project management
Built through real deadlines and written mentor feedback.
- Team facilitation
Practised in small-team work with students your child has never met.
- Team work with strangers
Held to a professional standard - the brief, the deadline, the follow-up.
Projects they finish with
Sample briefs from recent cohorts - the actual work that comes out of the programme, not a syllabus.
The main project
“What is worth building in leadership & global affairs in 5 days?”
What they hand inA finished programme project - the piece that goes into the portfolio.
Middle of the programmeFinal presentation
“Can they explain the work to someone who was not there?”
What they hand inA live presentation plus mentor feedback in writing.
Final sessionA short project or presentation to close the programme
Impact on other people, documented - the difference between a title and leadership. By the end of HPAIR Leadership Program - Kings' School Al Barsha, the aim is simple: a led initiative with numbers attached and letters from those involved.
What you end up holding
- Certificate of completion
- A small project or presentation
- A clear yes or no on the interest
What they'll take away
Certificate of CompletionProject or portfolio artefactLive mentor feedbackParent progress updates
How this strengthens their university profile
The point isn't the certificate. It's the line a family can honestly write afterwards - and the artefact sitting behind it.
Before
"My child is interested in leadership & global affairs."
Nothing an admissions officer can check.
After HPAIR Leadership Program - Kings' School Al Barsha
"My child completed HPAIR Leadership Program - Kings' School Al Barsha and finished a short project or presentation to close the programme."
A line with an artefact behind it.
Why this programme counts
Exploration, cheaply and quickly. Short live programmes let a child test a field over a couple of weekends before committing months to it - and they are the natural first step in Grades 5–8.
Impact on other people, documented - the difference between a title and leadership.
What a university can verify
- Certificate of completion
- A small project or presentation
- A clear yes or no on the interest
- Certificate of completion
- A small project or presentation
Upcoming cohorts
Starting soon
Mon, 12 Oct 20265 days · Grades 8–12October 2026
Live session times confirmed on registration
Session times shown in Dubai time (GMT+4) with US Eastern alongside. Fees are correct at time of publishing - confirm on the programme page.
Live mentors, every single session
HPAIR Leadership Program - Kings' School Al Barsha is taught live by mentors from leading universities and partner organisations - never pre-recorded. Small cohorts mean your child is spoken to by name, not counted in an audience.
Parents usually ask
Is my child the right age for this?
It is designed for Grades 8–12. No prior background is assumed - mentors calibrate to the cohort in the first session.
How much time does it take?
5 days in total, with live sessions live session times confirmed on registration plus light preparation in between. It is built to sit alongside school.
What if we miss a session?
Tell the team in advance and they will share the materials and arrange a catch-up so your child rejoins without falling behind.
How do we pay and confirm a place?
Places are confirmed on the HPAIR Leadership Program - Kings' School Al Barsha application page. Fees shown here are correct at time of publishing - always confirm on the programme page before paying.
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