USC Price, University of Hong Kong to offer international master’s degree

Meeting global policy challenges requires new levels of coordination and cooperation on an international scale. An inventive new degree program offered jointly by the USC Price School of Public Policy and the University of Hong Kong addresses the global demand for training and education to shape future leaders capable of identifying key resources, creating solutions to complex problems and managing unprecedented change.

The joint Master of Global Public Policy degree, launching in June 2017, is the first of its kind, bringing together professionals from government, business and nonprofit organizations across Asia and the Pacific Rim to consider the most complex social and sustainability issues in the region.

“These are exciting, and daunting, times in the global policy arena,” said Jack H. Knott, dean of USC Price. “The opportunities are boundless, and with them come concerns about sustainability, social justice and governance across international borders. The Master of Global Public Policy degree was developed to help leaders and influencers in Asian-Pacific Rim companies, governments and NGOs understand the challenges and engage them in an ongoing global policy conversation about where we’re going and the most effective ways to get there.”

Complex policies

The 15-month degree program is designed for working executives and will bring students to Los Angeles, Hong Kong and greater Asia where they will learn from faculty in USC Price, the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Social Sciences and world-renowned practitioners.

Policy complexity is all around us.

John P. Burns

“Policy complexity is all around us,” said John P. Burns, dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Hong Kong. “We are well equipped to deliver an innovative program that provides Asian perspectives on global policy problems such as urbanization, sustainability and global growth. A comparative East-West approach will enable policymakers to share solutions and provide better outcomes for our communities.”

The degree program is aimed at professionals, leaders and entrepreneurs seeking skills in public policymaking, greater political acumen, capability in global trend analysis, economic and data analysis, improved intercultural communication, an understanding of how common policy problems are being addressed in different countries, and connections with policy leaders and experts from around the world.

Global exchange

USC has attracted one of the largest contingents of international students of all U.S. universities, with the highest numbers coming from China and India.

The Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong, now in its 50th year, seeks to contribute to the advancement of society and the development of leaders through excellence and innovation in teaching and learning, research and knowledge exchange. The faculty ranks 14th in the world and second in Asia among university faculties of social science. Its core mission is to improve the human condition through sustainable development.