Graduate School of Public Policy

Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Public Policy’s mission is to improve the quality of life of the people of Kazakhstan and Central Asia by training leaders to improve governance through excellence in teaching, research and executive development that focuses on key policy and leadership challenges. GSPP maintains a strong strategic partnership with the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. GSPP incorporates scientific research into its teaching to provide one of the most innovative and progressive Masters and PhD programs in the Central Asian region. GSPP’s degree programs include the Master in Public Policy, Master in Public Administration, and the PhD in Public Policy.

The Graduate School of Public Policy (GSPP) Masters programs are fully accredited by the European Association for Public Administration Accreditation (EAPAA). 

GSPP Masters programs (Master in Public Policy (MPP) and Master in Public Administration (MPA)) received formal accreditation from the European Association for Public Administration Accreditation (EAPAA) in 2019 after an 18-month review process which included submitting a self-evaluation document, complete and detailed information about GSPP Masters programs, offered subjects and electives, programs structure, learning outcomes and student profiles. 

A team of external reviewers from European universities reviewed GSPP programs based on the submitted self-evaluation document and a site visit. The site visit team included a panel of 3 European subject experts, a local practitioner and a Nazarbayev University (NU) alumnus. The site visit team interviewed students, faculty, administrative staff, alumni, employers and NU senior management to review the submitted information. Based on the self-evaluation document and site visit, the Accreditation Committee assessed and determined the School’s conformity with European standards.

The European Association for Public Administration Accreditation procedure is a rigorous process which involves a lot of work in the preparation of the self-evaluation document and the conduct of the site visit. EAPAA Committee and external reviewers are completely objective in the evaluation process. Success in getting this accreditation means that GSPP programs are conducted in alignment with the best European standards. 

GSPP’s goal was to establish that we are at least comparable to EAPAA accredited European universities. The benefit particularly for a School in a young university, such as Nazarbayev University, includes benchmarking ourselves against universities which are well-established, have long-standing learning programs and have significant achievements in both teaching and research. Accreditation is also a marketing opportunity to demonstrate that GSPP and NU standards match or exceed those at the international level.

Furthermore, the accreditation process is useful because external reviewers give the School an objective view of what we are doing, how they could be done differently or better, and new things that could be done. External reviewers are able to bring “fresh eyes” to the process and standards: whether programs are meeting the learning outcomes and whether students are potentially employable.

Accreditation by the European Association for Public Administration Accreditation (EAPAA) guarantees high quality European standards. The EAPAA logo can be used to market GSPP programs among its stakeholders including future and existing students, faculty, applicants, alumni and employers. GSPP aims to constantly improve its standards and to qualify for global accreditation.