Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration

The Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) is a Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership association that positions itself as the global standard in public service education. It brings together more than 300 institutional member schools at U.S. and non-U.S. universities that award degrees in public administration, public policy, public affairs, nonprofit and related fields. NASPAA is the recognized global accreditor of master's degree programs in these disciplines and is the sole body in the United States recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as the accreditor of master's degree programs in public policy (MPP), public affairs (MPAff), and public administration (MPA). NASPAA's stated twofold mission is to ensure excellence in education and training for public service and to promote the ideal of public service. It pursues this through accreditation, peer networking, authoritative data, best-practice sharing, and services to member institutions. Its membership spans 317 members across 28 countries, with more than 25,000 students enrolled in member programs in Fall 2024. The organization also administers Pi Alpha Alpha, the honor society for public affairs and administration. Governance rests with an 18-member Executive Council elected by the membership for staggered three-year terms, with a President serving a one-year term and a Vice President/President-elect who succeeds to the presidency. NASPAA's accreditation work is carried out through its Executive Council and its Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation. It publishes the quarterly, peer-reviewed Journal of Public Affairs Education (JPAE), produced by Taylor & Francis on NASPAA's behalf since 2018. Founded in 1970 as the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, the organization rebranded in 2013 to the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration to reflect its growing international membership and disciplinary breadth. It engages internationally through initiatives such as NISPAcee, INPAE, and GIPA, and locally through projects such as the Small Communities Outreach Project for Environmental Issues. NASPAA has also drawn criticism for describing itself as a global standard-setter while its membership and governance remain dominated by American institutions, and for lacking policies on academic freedom, democratic values, and human rights.

NASPAA was founded in 1970 as the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, established as a national and international resource for promoting excellence in education for the public service. From its base in Washington, D.C., it grew into a membership association of university programs in public administration, policy, and management, and it took on the role of accrediting its member schools to promote the quality of education. Its purposes are pursued through direct services to member institutions and by developing and administering standards for educational programs in public affairs through its Executive Council and its Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation; representing to governments and other institutions the objectives and needs of education for public affairs and administration; encouraging curriculum development and innovation and providing a forum for publication and discussion of education scholarship, practices, and issues; undertaking surveys that provide members and the public with information on key educational issues; meeting with employers to promote internship and employment for students and graduates; undertaking joint educational projects with practitioner professional organizations; and collaborating with institutes and schools of public administration in other countries through conferences, consortia, and joint projects. In 1995, H. George Frederickson founded the Journal of Public Administration Education, initially published in coordination with the American Society for Public Administration's Section on Public Administration Education (SPAE). In 1996, NASPAA began discussions about sponsoring the journal, and in the fall of 1997 Frederickson transferred ownership to NASPAA. Under the new ownership, NASPAA renamed it the Journal of Public Affairs Education to reflect the breadth of its mission and to increase the journal's appeal, while maintaining a loose affiliation with SPAE. After taking ownership, NASPAA self-published JPAE until 2017, when it reached a publishing agreement with Taylor & Francis; since January 2018, Taylor & Francis has overseen production and distribution. NASPAA places a global emphasis on educational quality and quality assurance through networked international initiatives, in particular the Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe (NISPAcee), the Inter-American Network of Public Administration Education (INPAE), and the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA). It has also been involved locally, directing the Small Communities Outreach Project for Environmental Issues, which networks public affairs schools and local governments around environmental regulation policy issues with support from the Environmental Protection Agency. In 2013, NASPAA changed its name from the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration to the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration to reflect its growing international membership and disciplinary breadth. By the mid-2020s, NASPAA reported 317 members across 28 countries, with more than 25,000 students enrolled in member programs in Fall 2024, and it continued to describe itself as the global standard in public service education and the recognized global accreditor of master's degree programs in public administration, public policy, public affairs, nonprofit and related fields. It also administers the honor society Pi Alpha Alpha and hosts events such as the NASPAA Global Conference and the Pi Alpha Alpha Symposium. NASPAA has faced criticism for describing itself as a global organization and global standard-setter when its membership and governance bodies are dominated by American institutions, and for neglecting democratic values. Critics have said it lacks policies or standards on academic freedom, democratic values, and human rights, and that it has accredited state-controlled programs in authoritarian countries without considering academic freedom. In 2025, NASPAA filed an anonymized complaint with Taylor & Francis seeking retraction of an article by Professor Alasdair Roberts that was critical of the organization; after a five-month investigation, Taylor & Francis concluded there was no basis for retraction and no significant corrections were necessary.

• 2025

  NASPAA filed an anonymized complaint with Taylor & Francis seeking retraction of a critical article; the publisher found no basis for retraction.

• 2024

  More than 25,000 students enrolled in member programs in Fall 2024.

• 2018

  Taylor & Francis began overseeing production and distribution of JPAE in January.

• 2017

  NASPAA reached a publishing agreement with Taylor & Francis for JPAE.

• 2013

  NASPAA changed its name to the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration.

• 1997

  Frederickson transferred ownership of the journal to NASPAA, which renamed it the Journal of Public Affairs Education.

• 1995

  Journal of Public Administration Education founded by H. George Frederickson.

• 1970

  NASPAA founded as the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.

The global standard in public service education; recognized global accreditor of master's degree programs in public policy, affairs, and administration.

• Accreditation of master's degree programs

  NASPAA is the recognized global accreditor of master's degree programs in public administration, public policy, public affairs, nonprofit and related fields, and the sole U.S. body recognized by CHEA for MPP, MPAff, and MPA programs.

• Pi Alpha Alpha honor society

  The honor society for public affairs and administration administered by NASPAA.

• Journal of Public Affairs Education (JPAE)

  A quarterly, peer-reviewed academic journal of public administration education published by Taylor & Francis on behalf of NASPAA; edited by Sara Rinfret and Sarah Young since 2024.

• NASPAA Global Conference

  NASPAA's annual global conference; the 2026 edition is scheduled at the Hyatt Regency Seattle, hosted by Seattle University and the University of Washington.

• Membership services and data

  Best-practice sharing, networking opportunities, accreditation, authoritative data, and an online community for member schools.

• Criticism of global standard-setting claims

• Academic freedom and human rights concerns

• 2025 retraction complaint against Taylor & Francis

Read more

• Name change to reflect international breadthOther

• Transfer of JPAE ownership to NASPAAOther

• Publishing agreement with Taylor & FrancisOther

1. 1The Global Standard in Public Service Education | NASPAAnaspaa.org
2. 2About NASPAA | NASPAAnaspaa.org
3. 3Governance | NASPAAnaspaa.org
4. 4Contact Us | NASPAAnaspaa.org
5. 5Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administrationen.wikipedia.org
6. 6Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administrationwikidata.org