School of Public Policy (University of Calgary)

School of Public Policy (University of Calgary)
Name	School of Public Policy
Parent	University of Calgary
Established	2008
Type	Public policy school
Director	Vacant
City	Calgary
Province	Alberta
Country	Canada

School of Public Policy (University of Calgary) is a professional policy school affiliated with the University of Calgary located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It offers multidisciplinary instruction and research aimed at informing public decision-making in areas such as energy, health, finance and international relations, engaging with institutions including Parliament of Canada, Government of Alberta, City of Calgary, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund.

History

Founded in 2008 during a period of expansion for the University of Calgary, the school emerged amid provincial and national debates involving Alberta Energy Regulator, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Calgary Economic Development, and policy networks tied to the Conference Board of Canada. Early leadership included scholars who previously worked with Statistics Canada, Department of Finance (Canada), Health Canada, and think tanks such as the C.D. Howe Institute and the Fraser Institute. The school's growth paralleled major events including the 2008 financial crisis, the Alberta oil sands boom, and shifts in federal policy under leaders associated with the Liberal Party of Canada, Conservative Party of Canada, and New Democratic Party (Canada). Over time the school consolidated relationships with institutions like the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Canada West Foundation, Pembina Institute, and international partners including the European Commission and the United Nations Development Programme.

Academic Programs

The school administers professional graduate offerings linked to the University of Calgary Schulich School of Engineering and the Haskayne School of Business, providing degrees and certificates that attract candidates from agencies such as Indigenous Services Canada, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Global Affairs Canada, and provincial ministries. Programs include a Master of Public Policy that draws faculty with backgrounds at McGill University, University of Toronto, Harvard Kennedy School, London School of Economics, and Princeton University, and executive education formats that have hosted participants from the Canadian Armed Forces, World Health Organization, and Inter-American Development Bank. Course curricula reference case studies involving the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Trans Mountain Pipeline, the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, and regulatory regimes shaped by the Bank of Canada and the Canada Energy Regulator.

Research and Policy Initiatives

Research clusters address energy and environmental policy, fiscal and monetary policy, health systems, Indigenous policy, and international affairs, producing analysis used by actors such as the Alberta Treasury Branches, the Natural Resources Canada, and the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Project collaborations have examined issues related to the Paris Agreement, carbon pricing mechanisms comparable to those in British Columbia, and provincial fiscal arrangements akin to those overseen by the Department of Finance (Newfoundland and Labrador). The school convenes conferences that have included speakers from Brookings Institution, OECD, International Energy Agency, United States Department of Energy, National Energy Board (Canada), and scholarly venues such as the Canadian Political Science Association and the International Studies Association.

Faculty and Leadership

Faculty draw from diverse institutional pedigrees including appointments formerly held at Queen's University, University of British Columbia, York University, McMaster University, University of Alberta, and international posts at the Australian National University and Sciences Po. Leadership, advisory board members, and visiting fellows have included former officials from Finance Canada, senior executives from Enbridge, policy analysts from the Institute for Research on Public Policy, diplomats from Global Affairs Canada, and jurists with connections to the Supreme Court of Canada. The school’s experts contribute commentary in media outlets like the Globe and Mail, the National Post, CBC Television, and op-eds for policy publications such as the Policy Options and the Financial Times.

Campus Facilities and Locations

Physically situated on the University of Calgary campus near research hubs and clinical partners such as the Alberta Health Services facilities and the Foothills Medical Centre, the school operates seminar rooms, simulation labs, and a policy library integrated with the Taylor Family Digital Library. Event spaces host symposiums in partnership with civic venues including McDougall Centre and the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, while satellite programming has been delivered in offices in Ottawa and through collaborations with institutions in Edmonton and Vancouver.

Partnerships and Community Engagement

The school maintains partnerships with provincial and federal bodies including the Alberta Innovates, Canada School of Public Service, and municipal entities like the Calgary Police Service, and engages civil society organizations such as Canadian Red Cross, United Way Centraide Calgary and Area, and the Public Policy Forum. Outreach includes joint initiatives with Indigenous organizations aligned with Assembly of First Nations, cooperative research with environmental NGOs such as Sierra Club Canada, and internship placements with think tanks including the Institute for Research on Public Policy and the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. Internationally, collaborations have connected the school to programs at the Gulf Research Center, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and university partners across Europe and Latin America.

Category:University of Calgary