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NETWORK OF SCHOOLS OF
PUBLIC POLICY, AFFAIRS, & ADMINISTRATION
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๐ Open comment period for the Reimagining and Improving Student Education initiative (RISE)
๐ The deadline for the Public Affairs Education USNWR Rankings Survey has been extended to March 3, 2026
๐ 2026 NASPAA Regional Conference: Call for Proposals is open!
๐ Global Conference co-chairs share a personal message to speakers and attendees
๐ Nominations are Open: 2026 Wildfire Mitigation Simulation Competition
๐ Join our upcoming webinars!
๐ Pi Alpha Alpha Student Induction Spotlight
๐ View this month's data spotlight: Graduation Rates
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2026 NASPAA Regional Conference
Call for Proposals is open!
The 2026 NASPAA Regional Conference will take place May 24- 25, 2026, in Santiago, Chile, and will convene public service educators, researchers, practitioners, and students from around the world.
Under the theme Emerging Leaders, Enduring Values: Educating for Public Service in Times of Uncertainty (Liderazgos emergentes, valores perdurables: formar para el servicio pรบblico en tiempos de incertidumbre), we invite you to submit a panel proposal that centers on the realities facing public service programs, navigating institutional complexity, resource constraints, and evolving public expectations, while celebrating the strengths, traditions, and leadership approaches unique to the region.
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US News & World Report Deadline has been Extended
The deadline for the Public Affairs Education Rankings Survey has been extended!
The survey is now due March 3, 2026.
This survey is conducted by US News & World Report to rank each US-based NASPAA school on its overall quality of public service education. Two voters from each school will provide their expertise and complete the rankings survey. The rankings will be published in Spring 2026.
The survey was originally distributed on January 7, 2026. If you are a voter for your school and have not received the survey, please check your spam folder first. If you are still unable to find the survey invitation, please reach out to usnews-data-collection@usnews.com directly and include 'Public Affairs' in the subject line. Please also ensure that usnews-data-collection@usnews.com and usnews-data-collection@biz-messaging.usnews.com are on your safe senders list to receive future emails regarding the survey."
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Nominations are open!
Now is the time to nominate outstanding students for the NASPAA Wildfire Simulation Competition #SIM2026. Past participants consistently highlight the competitionโs value in strengthening crisis management skills, sharpening decision-making under pressure, and expanding professional networks across institutions.
Nominations close February 26 | Submit your nomination today!
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On the Ground in Seattle
Planning NASPAA 2026
As panel submissions roll in for NASPAA2026, the NASPAA team is on the ground in Seattle this week, meeting with partners and planning the experience, logistics, and spaces where these conversations will come to life.
We look forward to shaping the program alongside our global community and bringing these ideas to the stage.
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Your Voice Matters
Open Comment Period for Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE)
The U.S. Department of Education is accepting public comments on the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Initiative until March 2, 2026. Among other things, RISE proposes regulations to amend annual and aggregate loan limits for graduate, professional, and parent loan borrowers. Under this amendment, public service graduate degrees (MPA, MPP, MPAff, NPM, among others) do not qualify as professional degrees, limiting borrowing options for our students. A summary of the proposed amendments can be found here.
As educators, researchers, and public service professionals, NASPAA members are uniquely positioned to provide meaningful input in the rulemaking process. U.S. NASPAA members are invited to submit comments for this very consequential matter for our field. NASPAA's guide on how to submit a comment is available here. A template is included.
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The New Frontier: The Future of Public Affairs Education
A webinar with a personal message from your conference co-chairs!
When: Monday, March 2, 2026 (8 am EST, 1 pm CET; 9 pm HKT), hosted by NASPAA)
The New Frontier: The Future of Public Affairs Education webinar, hosted by NASPAA and IRSPM, explores how the field can evolve through the principles of Positive Public Administration. Featuring leading experts, the session highlights innovative approaches that emphasize the common good. This global conversation invites educators, public service leaders, partners, and researchers to reimagine public affairs education for a more optimistic, resilient, and effective public sector.
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Student Services Committee Webinar
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Join the Student Services Committee for an upcoming webinar titled "Pipelines to Public Service in the US: Resources to Explore Local, Regional, and State Government Career Paths."
Date and Time: Wednesday, February 25, 2-3 PM EST
| | Pi Alpha Alpha Induction Spotlight | | |
Congratulations to this month's Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society student induction spotlight:
Hawaii Pacific University, Public Service Department
| | NASPAA Upcoming Webinars: | | | | โ | |
The New Frontier: The Future of Public Affairs Education
A personal message from your conference co-chairs!
Hosted by NASPAA and IRSPM, explores how the field can evolve through the principles of Positive Public Administration. Featuring leading experts, the session highlights innovative approaches that emphasize the common good. This global conversation invites educators, public service leaders, partners, and researchers to reimagine public affairs education for a more optimistic, resilient, and effective public sector.
- Monday, March 2, 2026
- 8am EST / 1pm CET / 9pm HKT
Register Today
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Pipelines to Public Service in the US: Resources to Explore Local, Regional, and State Government Career Paths
Join the Student Services Committee and partner organizations to discuss strategies, tools and resources available to support students, alumni and government collaborators in reinforcing the sector's workforce pipeline.
- Wednesday, February 25, 2026
- 2 - 3 PM EST
Register Today!
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Using AI in Teaching Public Finance Courses
Join the Budget and Financial Management Section for a casual webinar focused on using AI in teaching public finance courses created for MPA faculty teaching public finance and budgeting courses.
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- Friday, February 27, 2026
- 10-11 AM EST
Join Zoom Room- no registration.
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Demystifying Academic Life: What No One Tells You
Join JPAE and NASPAA in this discussion on the realities of publishing, service and leadership expectations, balancing research and teaching, and navigating promotion
and tenure.
- Friday, February 27, 2026
- 12:00 PM EST
Register Today!
Learn more.
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February 2026 Monthly Data Spotlight - Graduation Rates
With the Spring Semester underway, NASPAA wants to highlight trends in graduation rates. Using data from Annual Data Reports and Self-Study Reports, Februaryโs Monthly Data Spotlight demonstrates a yearly snapshot of median graduation rates over a five-year period, broken down by program location.
| | You can view the 2-year, 3-year, and 4-year graduation rate data on NASPAAโs website. For questions and more information on data available through NASPAA, contact data@naspaa.org | | |
Important Accreditation Dates:
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April 15, 2026 โ Eligibility Application deadline for programs seeking to enter the accreditation process for the first time.
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August 15, 2026 โ Self-Study Reports from the 2026-2027 cohort due.
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August 15, 2026 โ Eligibility Application deadline for programs seeking to enter the accreditation process for the first time.
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Celebrating Black History Month:
This Black History Month, weโre proud to highlight our NASPAA-accredited programs housed at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which are dedicated to preparing the next generation of leaders in policy, governance, and community impact!
We would like to recognize the following programs for their commitment to fostering excellence in the field of public service education:
- Master of Public Administration at Albany State University
- Master of Public Administration at Bowie State University
- Master of Public Administration at Clark Atlanta University
- Master of Public Administration at Grambling State University
- Master of Public Policy and Administration at Jackson State University
- Master of Public Administration at North Carolina Central University
- Master of Public Administration at Savannah State University
- Master of Public Administration at Southern University and A&M College
- Master of Public Administration at Tennessee State University
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Master of Public Administration at Texas Southern University
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