What is Public Policy?

Results:

• The Global Public Policies Survey (PDF - 82Kb)

Links:

• Global Public Policies Survey

Related:

• World Youth Forum 2007

You can contact us at office@public-policies.org.

The Global Public Policies Survey
International Team

• A set of action guidelines or rules that results from the actions or lack of actions of governmental entities.
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• Related to the social or legislative ramifications of government policies. The corollary glossary term "political aspects" is customarily applied to the process of arriving at those policies.
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• Is whatever governments choose to do or not to do (Thomas Dye 1992: 2). Such a definition covers government action, inaction, decisions and non-decisions as it implies a very deliberate choice between alternatives (see Hall and Jenkins 1995).
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• According to Thomas A. Birkland's book An Introduction to the Policy Process, there is a "lack of a consensus definition of public policy. Thomas Dye argues that this search for a definition of public policy can degenerate into a word game." (p. 19)
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Although some graduate students are qualified to become skilled public policy analysts whose work is critical to government, private business, and nonprofit organizations, fewer students are prepared to combine these analytic tools with the organizational talents which can leverage their work through the activities of other people. These managers are valued by organizations at every level.

Still fewer students have the strength of moral purpose and clearly defined values which set them apart as true leaders, able to inspire and design organizations which create value for those they serve and make meaning for those they lead. These are the individuals for whom the Pepperdine public policy program has been designed.

These are exciting times for public service and for the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. As NYU Wagner embraces a new group of students committed to public service, we find ourselves strategically situated to reframe and transform public service education in the 21st century. Our vision identifies public service as work of public importance wherever it happens. It recognizes that limited approaches are increasingly ineffective in a world that is as fast-changing, globally interrelated and complex as ours has become.

"Public service is the highest good, and, when done honorably and well, the most rewarding."
Robert F. Wagner, Mayor of New York City 1953-1965

GPPI is proud to be a community of students, scholars, and policy professionals who believe that policy matters. Whether we focus on jobs or justice, education or the economy, at home or abroad, we make a difference in people's lives.

Students come to GPPI because they want to change the world. We give them skills so they can. Our students use research to define and measure policy problems and to develop, evaluate, and implement solutions. And they become policy actors who know how to pursue their policy craft with integrity in a political environment.

Our distinctive approach emphasizes solving problems across boundaries - between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, branches and levels of government, cultures, and countries. We have created an environment rich in diversity, flexibility, innovation, and above all quality. Building on the excellence for which UCLA is internationally known, our graduate programs are designed for highly motivated, exceptional students from all backgrounds looking for a combination of scientific analysis and real-world experience.

Duke's Master of Public Policy graduates are doing great things with their degrees: starting nonprofits, running government agencies, working in international refugee camps, serving in the White House, and consulting around the world. Duke MPPs have exciting and meaningful careers.

Our mission is to prepare future public policy leaders for the changing and complex world of the 21^st century. Because our students enjoy such diverse and dynamic careers, we emphasize the core analytic and professional skills important in any context: economic and statistical analysis, political and ethical analysis, writing and presentation skills, teamwork and working in groups. Our small class size allows faculty and staff to devote careful and personal attention to this core training mission.

The Warwick MPA recognises the need to set policy-making and management in the wider context of democratic governance and public policy. It enables you to examine and understand the complex and changing inter-relationships between public, private, voluntary, and community sectors. We'll help you to examine the global context of governance and strategy and give you frameworks to understand how to lead and manage change and delivery of service.

Our study programme addresses issues such as:

• Civic leadership and democratic governance
• Policy formulation
• Policy implementation
• Political economy of public policy
• Strategic management
• Managing people and change
• Operational management
• Evaluation of the impacts, outcomes and results of public programmes
• Financial & resource management.

The Warwick MPA makes a major contribution to your personal and career development. It enables you to directly contribute to the modernisation of governments and public services globally.