Deadlines/Event Dates October 21, 2024
GraSPP Policy Challenge 2024
Can you propose workable solutions to important public policy problems?
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 Master students at GraSPP and/or STIG are strongly encouraged to apply. Finalist groups will be ultimately invited to present at the GPPN 2025 Annual Conference hosted by SIPA, Columbia University in New York in March 2025.
Theme:
As the world faces escalating climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, social inequality, and other grand societal challenges, there is an urgent need for policies and innovations that foster sustainable (social, environmental, and economic) development.
How can we create enabling environments for the development and financing of innovative solutions in climate tech, renewable energy, nature-based solutions, and social innovations, especially in vulnerable regions where we need them the most?
We are looking for policy proposals that address this question and offer actionable solutions.
The Challenge:
The GPPN invites students to work on an important policy challenge in any field in line with the chosen theme. Proposals can incorporate public, private or hybrid approaches.
We are looking for student presentations on public policy proposals that demonstrate:
- Argumentation : A precise identification and analysis of the targeted population or territory; this precise analysis of the problem will need to be clear prior to discussion of any possible solutions
- Figures : A strong use of analytics and empirics and how these can be applied to inform a solution to the public policy problem identified
- Implementation : An astute understanding of how policy solutions can be implemented given the interests of the policy actors in the chosen context
- Benchmarking : A clear awareness of when similar solutions have been tried in the past, why they were successful or amended in order to be successful in the future.
To see examples of past proposals, you can watch the presentations on the GPPN website from the past conference:
https://www.gppnetwork.org/2024-conference-paris
To apply:
Please read the Application Guideline carefully and apply from here by noon, 21 October. Students should form teams between 2 and 4 members and work together to develop their proposals. Each member should only participate in 1 team. The group must consist of 4 Master’s students who are currently enrolled in GraSPP and/or STIG.
You may also apply individually and leave GraSPP to find your teammates. The groups and advisors will be announced by 23 October.
Schedule (TBC):
8 October: Information Session
Noon, 21 October: Application deadline
23 October: Briefing Session (*mandatory for all participants)
24 November: Submission of Research Proposals
5-11 December: A2 Course Registration
11, 16, or 18 December (TBC): Presentation Screening – Selection of the GPPN 2025 Conference teams
26 January 2025: Deadline for final PPT slides and a policy proposal
Mid February (TBC): Presentation Rehearsal (*GPPN 2025 Conference participants only)
5-7 March: GPPN 2025 Conference in New York
Credits:
This project is conducted as Case Study course “GraSPP Policy Challenge – Global Innovative Public Policy Solutions” (5140735) in A2. Those who complete all the requirements will be able to earn 2 credits. (Grades: Pass/Fail)
Course registration is required separately to earn credits, which will be done by GraSPP Office, not via UTAS. Students willing to participate in the course must pre-register via the above online registration form.
This course can be taken repeatedly and counted as up to 4 credits.
Inquiry:
Programme Coordinator – Aoi Ohno < ppsupport.j[at]gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp > (replace [at] with @)