University of British Columbia School of Public Policy and Global Affairs
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| University of British Columbia School of Public Policy and Global Affairs | |
|---|---|
| Name | School of Public Policy and Global Affairs |
| Established | 2008 |
| Type | Public |
| Parent | University of British Columbia |
| City | Vancouver |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Country | Canada |
University of British Columbia School of Public Policy and Global Affairs is a professional school at the University of British Columbia located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The school offers interdisciplinary programs and research connecting public policy with global affairs, drawing faculty and students from institutions such as Harvard University, University of Oxford, London School of Economics, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It emphasizes applied policy analysis, comparative public administration, and international relations informed by partnerships with bodies including the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and World Health Organization.
History
The school was established in 2008 following strategic planning involving the University of British Columbia administration, stakeholders from the Province of British Columbia, and donors linked to initiatives like the Vancouver Agreement and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation dialogues. Early collaborations referenced models from the Harvard Kennedy School, Blavatnik School of Government, and Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Foundational events included symposia with delegations from the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, and representatives of the Terry Fox Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. The school expanded through capital planning paralleling projects at Simon Fraser University and the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, integrating directives from provincial policies such as the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education guidelines.
Organization and Governance
Governance combines academic leadership drawn from faculties with external advisory boards comprising figures from the UNESCO, World Economic Forum, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, NSERC, CIHR and corporate partners including executives from Teck Resources, BC Hydro, Lululemon Athletica, Vancouver Airport Authority, and Port of Vancouver. The directorate reports to the University of British Columbia Board of Governors and collaborates with the Faculty of Arts, Sauder School of Business, Faculty of Law, and the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability. Internal structures mirror committees modeled after those at the Council on Foreign Relations, Chatham House, and the Brookings Institution, with faculty governance informed by norms from American Political Science Association and Canadian Political Science Association.
Academic Programs
The school offers professional degrees including the Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA) and doctoral supervision in partnership with the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs’s affiliated departments; coursework draws on curricula similar to the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Wageningen University, and Australian National University. Programs include policy labs, practicum placements with institutions such as the Canadian Federal Public Service, B.C. Public Service, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, United Nations Development Programme, and internships at NGOs like Amnesty International, Médecins Sans Frontières, and Oxfam. Electives cover comparative case studies referencing the European Union, ASEAN, African Union, G20, and bilateral relations with the People's Republic of China, United States, and India.
Research and Centres
Research centers host multidisciplinary projects in areas referenced by global initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals, with centers modeled after the Harvard Belfer Center, Centre for International Governance Innovation, and Frankfurt School. Existing units collaborate with the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, International Labour Organization, and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Themes include energy transitions linked to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments, urban policy tied to UN-Habitat frameworks, and trade policy engaging with the World Trade Organization dispute resolution. The school convenes policy dialogues involving representatives from the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Canada West Foundation, C.D. Howe Institute, Munk School of Global Affairs, and think tanks such as the Fraser Institute and Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
Admissions and Student Body
Admissions attract applicants from institutions such as McGill University, University of Toronto, University of Alberta, Queen's University, University of Waterloo, University of British Columbia Okanagan, York University, Dalhousie University, and international universities including Peking University, Tsinghua University, University of Tokyo, Seoul National University, and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. The student body includes former staff from the Canadian Armed Forces, graduates of the Royal Roads University programs, alumni of the Fulbright Program, Rhodes Scholarship applicants, and professionals from NGOs like CARE International, World Vision, and corporate partners such as BC Ferries and TELUS. Financial support includes fellowships modeled after the Commonwealth Scholarship and awards akin to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation fellowships.
Partnerships and Public Engagement
Public engagement occurs through partnerships with municipal actors such as the City of Vancouver, Metro Vancouver, and provincial agencies including the BC Ministry of Health, and federal entities including Global Affairs Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. The school co-hosts events with international institutions like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit delegates, symposiums with the European Commission, and working groups with the Pacific Islands Forum. Outreach includes public lectures with guests from the International Red Cross, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and media collaborations with outlets such as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Globe and Mail, and Vancouver Sun.
Notable Faculty and Alumni
Faculty and affiliates have associations with figures and institutions like David Suzuki, Margaret MacMillan, Naomi Klein, Stephen Toope, Arthur C. Green, Michael Ignatieff, and entities such as the Canadian Senate, House of Commons of Canada, British Columbia Supreme Court, International Criminal Court, Supreme Court of Canada, European Court of Human Rights, and the World Bank Group. Alumni serve in roles at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Statistics Canada, Bank of Canada, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Vancouver Police Department, BC Teachers' Federation, and multinational firms like Deloitte, KPMG, McKinsey & Company, and Accenture.