Regulatory policy affects every facet of the global society, from financial markets to manufacturing, telecommunications to transportation, biotechnology to energy. The Regulatory Policy Program at Harvard University brings rigorous, balanced analysis to bear on important policy problems and on different regulatory strategies to solve them.

As part of the John F. Kennedy School of Government's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, the Regulatory Policy Program draws together an impressive group of faculty from across Harvard University. RPP's faculty not only make significant contributions in the scholarly fields of law, economics, and political science, but also play important roles in shaping regulatory policy at all levels of government.

Faculty at RPP have, among other things, helped shape policy developments in the privatization and deregulation of important sectors such as electricity, railroads, and telecommunications; contributed to the use of market-based instruments for environmental protection; developed risk management strategies used by government agencies around the world; and created and evaluated innovative strategies to leverage both the public and private sectors in the pursuit public goals.

The Regulatory Policy Program fosters and disseminates research, engages policymakers, and trains current and future leaders in the public and private sectors. With a legacy of groundbreaking work on regulation, RPP continues to move forward to frame and lead the next generation of regulatory policies throughout the world. I invite you to use the resources available on our website and to engage with us in our efforts to study and improve regulatory policies and institutions. If you should be in the vicinity of the Harvard campus, please participate in our seminar series, New Directions in Regulation. For the 2007-2008 academic year, seminars will address energy and environmental regulation in a time of global climate change.

Erich Muehlegger
Chair, Regulatory Policy Program