The School of Public Policy at Central European University, is, in the words of its founder, George Soros, a “new kind of global institution dealing with global problems” through multi-disciplinary study of public policy, innovative teaching and research, as well as meaningful engagement with policy practice. They are a global institution committed to creating a community of purpose beyond power.
Public policy today is in a global, multi-level crisis. Tipping the scales towards a more secure peace, social justice and environmental sustainability – to name but a few – requires innovative and entrepreneurial engagement for the common good.
Building a multi-disciplinary and global institution committed to the values of open society and creating strong and flexible links between research and practice is one way of responding to what is, overall, a failure of policy elites to tackle the most urgent problems of our time.
Successful engagement for the public good in today’s world also requires a better and fairer representation of diverging perspectives. To that end, SPP is vigorously inclusive, attracting both students and faculty from diverse backgrounds and tapping into a wide variety of knowledge sources. SPP’s students are the future social and political entrepreneurs, equipped to make innovative contributions towards resolving the paramount public policy challenges of the 21st century.
SPP offers a diverse selection of public policy programs. Their flagship two-year Master of Public Administration program is unique. The academic curriculum is complemented by innovative practical and experiential learning techniques, including the Skills For Impact program, which teaches skills such as leadership, negotiation and management, and the Passion Project, a student-designed policy consultancy for real-world clients. The School boasts a team of outstanding resident faculty, world-class visiting faculty made up of top researchers, and practitioners in the public policy field who bring a wide array of academic and practical subjects to SPP’s diverse classroom.
The School has launched global initiatives and hosted numerous public events that have focused on developing an innovative research agenda while deepening cooperation with the Open Society Foundations and its networks. SPP has also built strategic partnerships with policy actors across the globe and is home to two policy centers: the Center for Media, Data and Society and the Center for Conflict, Negotiation and Recovery.
