The Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place, and the Department of Politics have officially launched the University of Liverpool’s new Masters programme in Public Administration and Policy (MPAP).
The MPAP will equip the next generation of public servants with the skills required to effectively navigate the challenges, opportunities, and nuances of policymaking in the twenty-first century.
Launched in September 2025, the Masters in Public Administration and Policy will benefit students interested in careers in government and administrative services (both nationally and internationally), NGOs and third sector organisations, advocacy groups and journalism and academia.
This programme will not only build the critical knowledge necessary to analyse and evaluate the contemporary issues facing public administration and policy, but also the capabilities to formulate the strategies needed to address them effectively.
Celebrating the official launch of the MPAP, a special event was held on 8 October 2025, with a focus on the future of public service.
As well as opening remarks from Professor Alison Fell (Pro-Vice- Chancellor and Head of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) and Professor Andrew Russell (Professor of Politics and MPAP Programme Director), the event featured a panel discussion, chaired by Professor Catherine Durose (Co-Director, Heseltine Institute), with contributions from practitioners working at the frontline of public policy in the United Kingdom.
Panellists included Caroline Arnold-Swift (Programme Manager, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority), Juliana Christianson (Strategic Lead for Violent Crime, Wirral Council), Dominic Jones (Economic Policy Development Officer, Barnsley Council) and Mark Swift (CEO, Wellbeing Enterprises CIC), with discussions highlighting the critical demands, pressures, and key considerations for public servants in an era of rapid transformation and widespread crisis.
Speaking at the event, Professor Samantha Ashenden, Head of Department, Politics said: “The Masters in Public Administration and Policy is a vibrant new programme taught by experts and offered at a time of immense challenge for and scrutiny of public policy. The MPAP offers a space for critical reflection and generation of new ideas to drive practical regional, national, and international change.”
Professor Catherine Durose, Professor of Public Policy and Co-Director of the Heseltine Institute of Public Policy Practice and Place said: “The Masters in Public Administration and Policy programme allows us to harness the wide-ranging policy expertise at the University of Liverpool and use it to support our students in advancing their public service careers.”
Learn more about the Masters in Public Administration and Policy here.