SPAA First U.S. School to Receive International Accreditation for Public Administration Programs
Rutgers University-Newark School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) is the first U.S. school to earn full international accreditation from The International Commission on Accreditation of Public Administration Education and Training Programs (ICAPA). The accreditation covers SPAA’s doctoral, master of public administration, and certificate programs.
ICAPA, based in Brussels, Belgium, is responsible for developing and initiating procedures for the international accreditation of public administration education and training programs, and its activities are based and built upon a set of standards developed by a joint United Nations/International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA) task force that the United Nations initiated in 2005. This task force held hearings throughout the world and more than 1,500 individuals participated in meetings that resulted in the development of the report of the United Nations/IASIA Task Force on Standards of Excellence for Public Administration Education and Training.
SPAA underwent a rigorous accreditation process to assure compliance with the standards. This process included self-study reports and an on-site visit consisting of observations and interviews with university leadership, faculty members, school administration, program staff, groups of students, and alumni. During the visit, a team of five international experts in public administration from universities in the U.S., South Africa, South Korea, and Bulgaria evaluated adherence to standards in a variety of areas, with particular emphasis on academic requirements. Following its visit, the commission determined that SPAA should be granted full accreditation, which is valid for a six-year period, making SPAA the first school in the United States – out of over three hundred public affairs and administration schools and programs in the U.S. – to earn this honor.
“The School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University-Newark is clearly an outstanding one,” the commission noted in its report. “SPAA’s commitment to students’ success, high-quality research, community engagement, and intellectual and cultural diversity is ongoing and deeply entrenched. In all of its activities, SPAA works to promote excellence in the field of public administration and management, setting an example for other institutions throughout the world.” The report also comments on the ability of the faculty, staff, and students of SPAA to engage effectively, not only in their community, but throughout the country and the world, and goes on to say that due to these concerted efforts, students at SPAA have the opportunity to understand and address the demands of working with an increasingly diverse public – both domestically and internationally.
“The ICAPA accrediting team underlined a crucial aspect of SPAA’s ethos—and, indeed, that of Rutgers University-Newark more generally,” said RU-N Chancellor Nancy Cantor. “As people, communities, and nations around the world become increasingly and inextricably interconnected, it is essential that we embrace and enhance the powerful local-global resonance of our research and teaching, especially by engaging with partners near and far.”
“SPAA is honored to be the first U.S. school to receive accreditation from ICAPA, a distinguished and rigorous international accreditor of public administration education and training programs,” said Dr. Marc Holzer, founding dean of the school and Board of Governors Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University-Newark. “This accreditation will help draw more international students to Newark and open up opportunities for our students to pursue their studies and careers internationally.”
About Rutgers University-Newark School of Public Affairs and Administration spaa.newark.rutgers.edu
The School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University-Newark educates and motivates students to choose careers in public service and administration through its innovative and comprehensive bachelor of arts in nonprofit and public administration, master of public administration (MPA), executive MPA, doctoral, and professional and graduate certificate programs. The school’s faculty generates knowledge and best practices in public service and administration, and collaborates with public and nonprofit sector organizations and professionals throughout the U.S. and the world. Guided by the principles of knowledge, competence, diversity, and service – with an emphasis on public service values and competencies for effective performance – SPAA promotes accountability, transparency, and performance in the public and nonprofit sectors.
U.S. News & World Report ranks SPAA as:
- 7th nationally in the core field of public management/administration
- 4th nationally in information and technology management
- 10th nationally in public finance and budgeting
- 11th nationally in city management and urban policy
- 18th nationally in nonprofit management
- 23rd nationally in public affairs
- 24th nationally in public policy analysis
Moreover, Best Value Schools ranks SPAA:
- 5th nationally as the most innovative public service school