To get started, click the Start Application button below.
The Hoover Institution International Seminar (HIIS) is a seven-day in-person seminar for international foreign and defense policy professionals that will bring leaders from partner countries together with leading scholars and policy makers in the United States to solve common problems. The purpose of the seminar is to create positive political, economic, and cultural alignments between policy makers in the United States and those in like-minded countries. The future of free and open societies depends upon such cooperation.
In order to counter authoritarian trends, it will be increasingly important that US allies and partners develop a “common operating picture” and common diagnosis of a problem set in order advance a road map for solutions. Solving key problems will require alignments not just across governments but also across the private sector and academia.
Three main assumptions under the seminar program:
First, though the United States continues to lead the world militarily, economically, and technologically, US leadership and actions alone cannot maintain the political and economic orders necessary to maintain and strengthen free and open societies.
· Second, while much commentary exists on how to refurbish the “liberal international order,” the fundamental component to any such order is a group of states that are committed to working to solve common problems and seize opportunities. A critical step toward these alignments is to build a network of individuals from different countries who are aligned around common interests and values.
· Third, the solutions to most global problems—whether geopolitical, economic, or humanitarian—must begin by building coalitions of actors at the country level. The core goal of the seminar is to work with like-minded foreign and defense policy professionals to work on common problems and to develop common solutions that can be implemented.
SEMINAR DESCRIPTION
The program will be held on the campus of Stanford University June 21-27th, 2026. Participants will meet virtually prior to the seminar and will be expected to do some advance preparation. They will arrive at the seminar prepared with background information on specific case studies and will be active throughout the program in making presentations and leading discussions. The seminar will feature prominent experts who will lecture and lead discussions on specific topics related to economics and technology; national security and defense; politics and democracy; and foreign policy. Final policy briefings will take place at the end of the seminar, and afterwards, participants will be expected to engage with colleagues in participant home countries to disseminate the group’s ideas and findings.
APPLICATION PROCESS
The call for applications will open in October 2025 and close on January 19, 2026 at 11:59 p.m PDT. Applicants will be expected to submit a cover letter of stated interest, a short essay on a common problem shared by countries, a letter of recommendation, and a short video in English that provides a description of a policy problem. Applications will be sought from mid-career foreign and defense policy professionals.
Applications will be processed as they are received, so applicants are encouraged to submit applications well before the deadline. Applicants will be alerted of final decisions by March 2nd, 2026.
Program Requirements
Only those who meet the following requirements should move forward with this application:
Applicant must be working as a foreign policy or national security professional in their respective country for at least five years.
Applicant must be able to write, prepare, and deliver presentations in English.
Applicant must attend virtual sessions and complete the assignments in the lead-up to the in-person seminar.
Applicants must attend in person for the entire period of time.
Your registered name and email will be used for this application. To change this information, you can edit your profile from the menu in the upper-right corner.
International Seminar Program
To get started, click the Start Application button below.
The Hoover Institution International Seminar (HIIS) is a seven-day in-person seminar for international foreign and defense policy professionals that will bring leaders from partner countries together with leading scholars and policy makers in the United States to solve common problems. The purpose of the seminar is to create positive political, economic, and cultural alignments between policy makers in the United States and those in like-minded countries. The future of free and open societies depends upon such cooperation.
In order to counter authoritarian trends, it will be increasingly important that US allies and partners develop a “common operating picture” and common diagnosis of a problem set in order advance a road map for solutions. Solving key problems will require alignments not just across governments but also across the private sector and academia.
Three main assumptions under the seminar program:
First, though the United States continues to lead the world militarily, economically, and technologically, US leadership and actions alone cannot maintain the political and economic orders necessary to maintain and strengthen free and open societies.
· Second, while much commentary exists on how to refurbish the “liberal international order,” the fundamental component to any such order is a group of states that are committed to working to solve common problems and seize opportunities. A critical step toward these alignments is to build a network of individuals from different countries who are aligned around common interests and values.
· Third, the solutions to most global problems—whether geopolitical, economic, or humanitarian—must begin by building coalitions of actors at the country level. The core goal of the seminar is to work with like-minded foreign and defense policy professionals to work on common problems and to develop common solutions that can be implemented.
SEMINAR DESCRIPTION
The program will be held on the campus of Stanford University June 21-27th, 2026. Participants will meet virtually prior to the seminar and will be expected to do some advance preparation. They will arrive at the seminar prepared with background information on specific case studies and will be active throughout the program in making presentations and leading discussions. The seminar will feature prominent experts who will lecture and lead discussions on specific topics related to economics and technology; national security and defense; politics and democracy; and foreign policy. Final policy briefings will take place at the end of the seminar, and afterwards, participants will be expected to engage with colleagues in participant home countries to disseminate the group’s ideas and findings.
APPLICATION PROCESS
The call for applications will open in October 2025 and close on January 19, 2026 at 11:59 p.m PDT. Applicants will be expected to submit a cover letter of stated interest, a short essay on a common problem shared by countries, a letter of recommendation, and a short video in English that provides a description of a policy problem. Applications will be sought from mid-career foreign and defense policy professionals.
Applications will be processed as they are received, so applicants are encouraged to submit applications well before the deadline. Applicants will be alerted of final decisions by March 2nd, 2026.
Program Requirements
Only those who meet the following requirements should move forward with this application:
Applicant must be working as a foreign policy or national security professional in their respective country for at least five years.
Applicant must be able to write, prepare, and deliver presentations in English.
Applicant must attend virtual sessions and complete the assignments in the lead-up to the in-person seminar.
Applicants must attend in person for the entire period of time.
Your registered name and email will be used for this application. To change this information, you can edit your profile from the menu in the upper-right corner.