Deadlines/Event Dates October 20, 2020
Call for Application
GraSPP Policy Challenge 2020: Global Innovative Public Policy Solutions
Do you have a proposed solution to an important public policy problem?
Can you apply your analytical skills to solve a policy issue?
Do you want to showcase your idea during an international conference?
Do you want to meet creative students from all around the world?
GraSPP Policy Challenge (GPC) offers a unique opportunity to students from diverse background to collaborate and seek to improve their teambuilding and policy-making skills. Participants are tasked with responding to pressing real-world policy challenges as a group, and with designing policies and proposals in response to those challenges.
All students from GraSPP/STIG/GSDM are strongly encouraged to apply. Finalist groups will be ultimately invited to present at the GPPN Virtual Conference 2021* hosted by GraSPP in March 2021.
- Theme: The Crisis of Globalization as We Know It
Starting from the 2008-2009 financial crisis, and especially with the events of and after 2016 (Brexit, election of Donald Trump as US President, heightened US-China tensions), many commentators of international affairs have started to point to a crisis of globalization. The Covid-19 pandemic has massively contributed to this line of argument. International travel has been completely disrupted all over the planet, and globalized production chains are increasingly perceived as too risky. Despite the obvious global nature of the pandemic, the lack of international coordination has been all too evident.
Indeed, while a voluminous literature has been accumulating over several decades concerning the necessity to go beyond the nation-state, and the considerable growth of multilateral diplomacy, regional integration, and International Organizations, the nation-state has re-emerged, in a time of acute crisis, as the most important reference framework for policy making, but also for political mobilisation. Borders have been shut everywhere, nationals have been repatriated, new economic policies, stimulus and rescue packages have been devised primarily on a national base. Even in the EU, where regional integration is extremely deep and fully institutionalised, the response to the pandemic was at the beginning almost completely developed at a national level by national governments.
Furthermore, as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, it appears that international efforts for sustainable development grounded in multilateralism may have been derailed. With all probability, as announced by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the SDGs cannot be met by 2030, given the severe economic contraction of 2020 and the ensuing social and political problems of the next few years. On the other hand, however, the pandemic has also introduced habits such as telework, which may help the progress on some SDGs.
Despite all this, one may argue that the need for an enhanced global governance remains strong, and it has been intensified by Covid-19.
We invite students at all GPPN Schools to contribute to a discussion about the state of globalisation in the light of the risks it can harbour and the advantages it can offer. What kind of globalization is still possible? To the benefit of whom? Based on what economic, ethical and political principles? We also would like students to think about concrete proposals for the advancement of regional and international cooperation, for the strengthening of global governance mechanisms and institutions, in specific areas as well as in the more general domain of international relations.
- The Challenge
We are looking for student presentations on public policy/international relations proposals that demonstrate:
- A precise identification and analysis of an important and pressing problem; this precise analysis of the problem will need to be clear prior to discussion of any possible solutions
- A strong use of analytics and empirics and how these can be applied to inform a solution to the public policy problem identified
- An astute understanding of how policy solutions can be implemented given the interests of the policy actors in the chosen context
- A clear awareness of whether and when similar solutions have been tried in the past, why they were successful or how they can be amended in order to be successful in the future.
- How to apply:
Students should form teams of either 4 or 5 members and work together to develop their projects.
The group must consist of 4-5 Master’s students who are currently enrolled in GraSPP, STIG or/and GSDM and apply via the online form: https://forms.gle/SKeB1ovF7tqLhDTj7 by 20 October. You may also apply individually and leave GraSPP to find your teammates. Announcement of the groups and advisors will be made by 23 October.
–
Your proposals and presentations will be assessed against the following criteria which will also be used at the conference:
- 25% Problem Analysis
- 25% Strength of Solution & Real-World Feasibility
- 15% Implementation Analysis (incl. Stakeholders)
- 15% Long-Term Sustainability
- 20% Quality of Presentation
All teams (who passed the internal presentation screening) selected to participate in the GPPN Virtual conference 2021 will each give a presentation online on the first or second day of the conference of up to 3 minutes with 6 minutes Q&A by jury members. Participating groups of GPPN Conference will post their videos in advance on a prepared online platform for a Pre-Video Screening
- Schedule (TBC)
20 October: Application deadline
9:30-10:15, 23 October: Briefing Session – Announcement of the Advisors and groupings
23 November: Deadline for Research Proposals
24-30 November: Feedback on research proposals by professors
26 November – 2 December: A2 Course Registration
22 or 23 December or early January 2021: Presentation and selection of GPPN Conference participants & Announcement of Finalists
24 January 2021: Deadline for submission of PPT slides and a final policy proposal
Between 1-5 February: Presentation Rehearsal (*GPPN participants only)
By 24 February: Deadline for final video submission
5-7 March: Attend the GPPN Virtual Conference 2021
- Credits
You can register this initiative as a Case Study course “GraSPP Policy Challenge – Global Innovative Public Policy Solutions” (5140735) in A2 term. Those who complete all the requirements will earn 2 credits. (Grades: Pass/fail)
* Course registration for A2 term is required separately to earn credits. For more information, please check the course syllabus. This course can be taken repeatedly and counted as up to 4 credits.
*GPPN Virtual Conference 2021
5 – 7 March, 2021, hosted by Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo
GraSPP will host the Global Public Policy Network (GPPN) virtual conference on 4-6 March, 2021. GPPN’s mission is to address the most pressing public policy challenges of the 21st century, including public policy education and training. Students selected to participate will have the opportunity to present their projects to the deans and students of seven of the most prestigious public policy schools.
——
*What is the GPPN?
Founded in 2005, the Global Public Policy Network is an international group of seven top public policy schools from around the world:
- School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Columbia University; New York, U.S.
- Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), London School of Economics and Political Science; London, UK
- School of Public Affairs, Sciences Po; Paris, France
- Hertie School; Berlin, Germany
- Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore (NUS); Singapore
- Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo; Tokyo, Japan
- Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo ; São Paulo, Brazil
Since its founding, members of the GPPN have organized annual conferences for the students and deans from member schools to meet and discuss pressing issues of global public policy. GPPN members have also established exchange and dual degrees programs, allowing students to benefit from this international network of the most prestigious public affairs schools in the world.
To learn more about the GPPN, you can find the past projects: https://www.gppnetwork.org/
——
- Inquiry
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding the course.
Coordinator: Aoi Ohno (intl_application@pp.u-tokyo.ac.jp)