Upcoming Short Courses

Cyber Civil Defense Policy Training Series

The Cyber Civil Defense Policy Training Series is a three-part Aspen Tech Policy Hub webinar series built for the cybersecurity community; it will teach participants how to impact policymaking through effectively communicating to key stakeholders. Whether you are a cybersecurity professional or a member of the community seeking to get public officials to support stronger and more resilient cybersecurity measures, these trainings will introduce you to techniques that will help achieve policy change on the issues you care about.

These sessions are free and open to the public. You must register for each session separately.

Session 1: Communicating for Policy | Register here
Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 12:30 – 1:30pm PT / 3:30 – 4:30pm ET

This session will cover general principles and practical tips to keep in mind when writing or speaking to policymakers, such as how to simplify complex concepts and how to make a strong argument.

Session 2: Writing a Public Comment | Register here
Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 12:30 – 1:30pm PT / 3:30 – 4:30pm ET

Writing a public comment is an important tool in making policy impact — regulators nationwide must consider public opinion before implementing new measures. This session will cover what a public comment is and how to craft a strong public comment, with a focus on how to encourage government stakeholders to respond positively to your submission.

Session 3: Briefing Government Stakeholders | Register here
December 3, 2024, at 12:30 – 1:30pm PT / 3:30 – 4:30pm ET

Learn how to engage effectively with policymakers when you speak to them in person. We will cover what makes an effective briefing to help you prepare to pitch your policy ideas to key stakeholders.

Optional Sessions: Office Hours
November 26, 2024, at 1 – 2pm PT / 4 – 5pm ET and December 10, 2024, at 1 – 2pm PT / 4 – 5pm ET

In these by-appointment sessions, open only to those who attend our live trainings, program participants can receive guidance from instructors on cybersecurity advocacy projects or get feedback on outputs you’ve developed during our webinar series.

Influencing AI from the Outside

Influencing AI from the Outside is a part-time, unpaid, virtual Aspen Tech Policy Hub program that teaches professionals working in artificial intelligence how to improve their policy communications. This short course provides a basic introduction to communicating for policy through focused writing and speaking strategies, preparing participants to influence how AI policy is shaped.

Participants will learn how to:

Navigate key debates in AI policy,
Make an effective argument for policy change,
Simplify technical language for policy audiences, and
Submit an effective public comment.

Before applying, please carefully review the Influencing AI from the Outside details and eligibility below, and review the Short Course frequently asked questions at the bottom of this page.

Application Deadline
Monday, November 17, 2024, at 11:59pm PT

Timeline
October 22 – November 17, 2024: Application window is open.

By early December 2024: Participants are notified of their acceptance.

December 16–20, 2024: Influencing AI from the Outside course runs, with daily sessions from 8:30 – 10:30am PT / 11:30am – 1:30pm ET

Eligibility
We are looking for subject matter experts with technical knowledge of artificial intelligence and related fields interested in impacting policy and who specifically want to workshop their policy communication skills. This program is especially designed for AI technologists who would like to submit public comments on federal, state, or local policy questions; who would like to brief government stakeholders to help them learn more about AI; or who are interested in advocating for AI-related policy change.

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and must be participating in their personal capacity. Because this program is for people who want to impact US policymaking, successful applicants must either live or be able to work in the United States.

Applicants must be able to commit to 5 daily 2-hour virtual sessions during the course dates, as well as preparing several policy communication assignments outside of class. Fellows will also be given an optional opportunity to get feedback on their writing assignments.

Where and When
The virtual course is scheduled for December 16–20, 2024.

Participants will attend daily 2-hour sessions from 8:30 – 10:30am PT / 11:30am – 1:30pm ET.

Participants should expect to dedicate time to both scheduled “classroom” sessions and after-class assignments through the duration of the course.

Application Schedule
Admitted applicants will be notified in early December.

Apply Now

Nonprofits In an Age of Policy Change

Nonprofits In an Age of Policy Change is a part-time, unpaid virtual program designed to support subject matter experts and nonprofit advocates in developing and updating their policy advocacy strategy following the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2024 decision overturning Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council. That court decision empowered courts to overturn the judgment of agency experts and decide for themselves the scope of agencies’ power to make and enforce regulations. As a result, outside advocates of all stripes need training to play a critical role going forward as experts in court proceedings involving agency decisionmaking.

This short course will introduce less-experienced policy advocates to a framework for thoughtfully creating an advocacy plan in light of changes to the federal policy ecosystem. The course will also help advocates develop the skills they need to more effectively participate in the policy process. Strong applicants will have professional experience working in the nonprofit space, and will be involved or potentially involved in helping their nonprofit shape their policy advocacy strategy in this new environment. Past policy experience is not required; this course likely will be too advanced for professional policy practitioners.

This course will cover topics such as:

The state of regulatory advocacy after Chevron, and techniques for developing advocacy plans in light of these changes;
New avenues for advocacy post-Chevron, such as with state and local governments; and
Communications skills to help outside experts navigate this new frontier, including by serving as outside experts in court proceedings and testimony before Congress.

Before applying, please carefully review the Nonprofits In an Age of Policy Change details and eligibility below, and review the Short Course frequently asked questions at the bottom of this page.

Application Deadline
Sunday, December 1, 2024, at 11:59pm PT

Timeline
October 22 – December 1, 2024: Application window is open.

By mid-December 2024: Participants are notified of their acceptance.

January 13-17, 2025: Nonprofits In an Age of Policy Change runs, with daily sessions from 8:30 – 10:30am PT / 11:30am – 1:30pm ET

Eligibility
We are looking for nonprofit professionals who are interested in learning about policy impact and advocacy. Strong applicants will have professional experience working in the nonprofit space, and will be involved or potentially involved in helping their nonprofit shape their policy advocacy strategy in this new environment. Past policy experience is not required; this course likely will be too advanced for professional policy practitioners.

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and must be participating in their personal capacity. Because this program is for people who want to impact US policymaking, successful applicants must either live or be able to work in the United States.

Applicants must be able to commit to 5 daily 2-hour virtual sessions during the course dates, as well as preparing several policy communications assignments outside of class.

Where and When
This virtual course is scheduled for January 13-17, 2025.

Participants will attend daily 2-hour sessions from 8:30 – 10:30am PT / 11:30am – 1:30pm ET.

Application Schedule
Admitted applicants will be notified by mid-December 2024.

Apply Now

Policy Impact for Emerging Climate Leaders

The climate movement can, and already has, benefited immensely from young, diverse voices pushing policymakers and companies to respond to climate threats. As the generations that will bear the brunt of climate change impacts, young people are advocating for bolder policies, including phasing out gas-powered vehicles, restricting offshore drilling, and prioritizing alternative energy sources. To succeed in driving these reforms forward, these critical young voices will need to learn how to navigate the policy world. They must develop the skills to map the policy ecosystem and craft advocacy materials that resonate with current policymakers.

To support emerging climate leaders in their efforts to move climate policy, the Aspen Policy Academy is hosting a part-time, unpaid policy impact bootcamp for climate leaders between the ages of 21 and 30. Using the Aspen Policy Academy’s expertise in policy impact strategies, this course covers skills such as:

Defining policy problems;
Mapping policy stakeholders;
Outlining and deciding on effective policy solutions; and
Developing persuasive outputs to convince policy stakeholders.

This short course is accompanied by a series of events and activities aimed at deepening bonds within this community of rising leaders, in order to give them a network of peers and mentors across the country.

Before applying, please carefully review the Policy Impact for Emerging Climate Leaders details and eligibility below, and review the Short Course frequently asked questions at the bottom of this page.

Deadline
Sunday, December 1, 2024, at 11:59pm PT

Timeline
October 22 – December 1, 2024: The application window is open.

Mid-January 2025: Participants are notified of their acceptance.

February 24–28, 2025: Policy Impact for Emerging Climate Leaders runs, with daily sessions from 8:30 – 10:30am PT / 11:30am – 1:30pm ET

March 12, 2025: Optional recap session from 8:30 – 10:30am PT / 11:30am-1:30pm ET.

Eligibility
We are looking for emerging climate experts between the ages of 21 and 30 who are interested in learning about policy impact and advocacy. Strong applicants will have some professional experience working in the climate space, but will be new to thinking about policy impact and advocacy. Example professional backgrounds may include climate communications professionals, product designers, program managers, and scientists.

Applicants must be participating in the course in their personal capacity. Because this program is for people who want to impact US policymaking, you must either live or be able to work in the United States.

Applicants must be able to commit to 5 daily 2-hour virtual sessions during the course dates, as well as preparing several policy communications assignments outside of class.

Where and When
The virtual course is scheduled for February 24–28, 2025.

Participants will attend daily 2-hour sessions from 8:30 – 10:30am PT / 11:30am – 1:30pm ET.

There will be an optional recap session on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, from 8:30 – 10:30am PT / 11:30am – 1:30pm ET.

Application Schedule
Admitted applicants will be notified by mid-January 2025.

Apply Now

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Short Course FAQs

We will update the following FAQs as we receive additional questions about our program. If your question is not answered here or in the materials above, please contact us.

What is policy?
Great question, and one we will overview during each short course. In general, policy is defined as a “course or principle of action adopted or proposed by an organization or individual.” It is a set of rules that an organization or individual agrees to follow. Both governments and companies (and many other actors) set policies, and those policies have the potential to affect all of our lives.

Who is eligible for short courses?
Our short courses are open to subject-matter experts who are interested in impacting policy but have little prior policy experience. Depending on the topic, each short course may have additional eligibility criteria. Please see the course-specific eligibility criteria above.

For all short courses, applicants need to also meet the following eligibility requirements:

Applicant(s) must be at least 21 years of age by the start of the course.
Applicant(s) must be fluent in English.
Applicant(s) must be able to commit to 5 daily 2-hour virtual sessions during the course dates. You can find the dates for each open course above.
Applicant(s) must either live in the United States or be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident living abroad.

How is policy writing different from writing generally?
We will cover this in-depth in our policy communication short courses. Policy writing is all about successfully convincing a stakeholder to adopt a solution that you propose. In general, policy writing includes an argument and gets to the point faster than academic or creative writing. Policy writing also occurs in unique formats, such as memos and public comments. Policy writing follows a unique set of norms; for example, emails written in the policy world follow different norms than emails written in other professional contexts.

Why is policy writing important?
Writing is the currency of policy communication, so strong writing skills are essential to impacting policy. Our writing short courses will provide participants with a toolkit for effectively communicating with decisionmakers in writing, along with opportunities to practice.

What is the exact timing of each short course?
Short courses typically require daily 2-hour sessions from 8:30am – 10:30am PT / 11:30am – 1:30pm ET. Each course will also require you to complete assignments outside of the daily sessions. You can see the dates and specific details of each course above.

Will the short courses be run in person or remotely?
All short courses will be run remotely.

What is the attendance policy?
Since all of our short courses are run free-of-change, we require that participants abide by our attendance policy to miss no more than 1 hour of programming over the course of the week barring an emergency or medical illness. Participants will also be required to complete assignments outside of class hours.

If participants miss more than 1 hour of programming or do not complete required assignments, they will be required to pay a $500 fee to cover staff time for running the course.

How much does each short course cost?
All of our short courses are free of charge for all participants. However, if you enroll in the course and miss more than the required time or fail to complete required assignments, you will be required to pay a $500 fee to cover staff time for running the course.

Can I continue to work while participating in a short course?
Each short course is part-time (typically daily 2-hour sessions). We expect your full attention and attendance during the sessions, and you will be required to complete assignments outside of class. As long as you are able to fulfill these obligations, we welcome your participation while continuing to work.

I am on a visa. Am I eligible to apply to a short course?
Yes. Because our short courses are for people who want to impact U.S. policymaking, you must either live in the United States now or be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident living abroad. If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and will be abroad during the course, you are eligible to apply if you are available to attend the course daily from 8:30am – 10:30am PT / 11:30am – 1:30pm ET.

I am a student/recently graduated. Am I eligible to apply to a short course?
You are able to apply to our short courses as long as you are 21 and meet all the other course-specific criteria listed in the eligibility section of the course(s) you want to apply to, above.

I would like to join a short course to learn more about policy, but I don’t have experience in the course topic. Can I still apply?
Yes, you can still apply but we will prioritize admitting applicants who meet the specific preferred criteria for each course. Each course will have a desired audience with subject-matter expertise in science, technology, AI, nonprofits, or climate. You can review the course-specific eligibility criteria above.

I already have significant policy experience. Am I eligible to apply to a short course?
Short courses provide an introduction to policy work and the policy writing process. Applicants who have significant policy experience (e.g., past experience working in a government policy role) may be too experienced for most of our short courses. If you have a significant policy background, we encourage you to explain in your application how you will benefit from the course you’re applying to. Please note that we may prioritize applicants with less policy experience if the course is oversubscribed.

If you feel you have too much experience to enroll in a short course, we may have opportunities to engage you as a policy mentor or on future in-house projects. Please contact us.

What is the application timeline?
Each course has a different application deadline, which you can see above. Applicants are typically admitted 3-4 weeks before the start of the course.