Starting from Spring 2025, the Graduate School of Public Policy at Nazarbayev University will offer its MPP and MPA students a new track in Sustainable Development. Due to the challenges of the modern age, sustainable development has become a critical concern for public policy and public administration. This interdisciplinary track is designed to equip students with a better understanding of how sustainable development can be integrated into public policies and provide insights into actions that can be taken to promote its implementation.
Issues like climate change, resource depletion, social inequality, and economic instability are central to sustainable development. Public administrators and policymakers equipped with knowledge in sustainable development are better prepared to tackle these global challenges through informed, innovative, and adaptive strategies. As sustainability becomes increasingly central to public discourse and governance, expertise in sustainable development is a valuable asset in the job market. Students who specialize in this area position themselves as leaders in the field, with the skills and knowledge to navigate and shape the future of public policy and administration. In summary, a track in sustainable development equips public policy and administration students with the knowledge, skills, and ethical framework necessary to address the complex, interrelated challenges of the 21st century, making them more effective and responsible leaders in their field.
The track will encompass the following 6 courses:
1.Sustainable Development and Environmental Governance MPE 682
This course will provide a comprehensive overview of the sustainable development concept, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and entailing public policies through an inter-disciplinary framework. Sustainable development is the most urgent challenge facing humanity. Its fundamental question is: How can the world economy continue to develop in a way that is socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable? This course provides a broad overview of the interactions between the economy and our environment and humanity, from the constraints of finite resources, to the activities that drive climate change, to equality for all.
2.Natural Resource Management and Policy MPE 681
Natural resources policy and management in the 21st century is guided by the paradigm of sustainability to balance human benefit and environmental protection. This balancing act presents critical challenges given the variety of resources, diversity of interests, and multitude of impacts on ecosystems, while interlinkages among these aspects further complicate decision making and elevate the risk of mismanagement. This course unravels the complexity through the prism of governance consisting of state, market and community as well as hybrid institutions, and assesses the effectiveness of their associated policy instruments
3.Energy Systems and Climate Policy MPE 683
This course examines the role played by various energy resources in fueling modern economic growth from early industrialization through present and provide a basic understanding of the technology, economics, social, and political aspects of various energy systems (non-renewable and renewable) for public policy analysis and the various energy options for climate change mitigation and adaptation. This course is organized into five broad sections: energy and economic development; non-renewable energy utilization and constraints; renewable energy policy and options; climate change science and policy; energy transition and sustainability. While the course is pitched in a larger international context, specific examples of energy policy issues relevant to Kazakhstan and the Central Asian region are covered in each lecture.
4.Global Energy Policy MPE 684
This course applies the policy cycle to energy sector whereby a variety of approaches are analyzed at the stages of agenda setting, formulation, decision-making, implementation and evaluation. Drawing on cases from the Global North and South, including Central Asian region and Kazakhstan specifically, a mix of energy policies and associated instruments are critically examined. The perspective taken is that of a policy maker confronting decisions about the design and implementation of energy policy that is informed by the learning from practices in different contexts, while focusing on ways that public policy can affect social and environmental outcomes.
5.Public Policy and Health Issues MPE 627
This course is an introduction to public policy in health and social issues, with special focus on countries and systems experiencing rapid demographic and epidemiological transitions. It will cover population health and development aspects, and the different approaches and methods of public policy in comparing present and future health-related challenges. It will examine the roles and relationships between public policies in planning, implementation and evaluation processes and different approaches of national systems in providing, regulating and paying for health care.
6. Development Assistance and Governance MPE 673
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be equipped with knowledge of the foundations of and issues/challenges in development assistance and public administration reform. Topics will include an introduction to the key institutions of development assistance, the role of international organizations in promoting public administration reform, internal governance of international development organizations. The assessment strategy will include both open-book/takeaway assignments and in-class/controlled environmental assessments in addition to class participation.
For more information and registration for the track, please contact Ms. Zhibek Shymbai, Manager of MPA and MPP programs at zhibek.shymbay@nu.edu.kz.
Issues like climate change, resource depletion, social inequality, and economic instability are central to sustainable development. Public administrators and policymakers equipped with knowledge in sustainable development are better prepared to tackle these global challenges through informed, innovative, and adaptive strategies. As sustainability becomes increasingly central to public discourse and governance, expertise in sustainable development is a valuable asset in the job market. Students who specialize in this area position themselves as leaders in the field, with the skills and knowledge to navigate and shape the future of public policy and administration. In summary, a track in sustainable development equips public policy and administration students with the knowledge, skills, and ethical framework necessary to address the complex, interrelated challenges of the 21st century, making them more effective and responsible leaders in their field.
The track will encompass the following 6 courses:
1.Sustainable Development and Environmental Governance MPE 682
This course will provide a comprehensive overview of the sustainable development concept, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and entailing public policies through an inter-disciplinary framework. Sustainable development is the most urgent challenge facing humanity. Its fundamental question is: How can the world economy continue to develop in a way that is socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable? This course provides a broad overview of the interactions between the economy and our environment and humanity, from the constraints of finite resources, to the activities that drive climate change, to equality for all.
2.Natural Resource Management and Policy MPE 681
Natural resources policy and management in the 21st century is guided by the paradigm of sustainability to balance human benefit and environmental protection. This balancing act presents critical challenges given the variety of resources, diversity of interests, and multitude of impacts on ecosystems, while interlinkages among these aspects further complicate decision making and elevate the risk of mismanagement. This course unravels the complexity through the prism of governance consisting of state, market and community as well as hybrid institutions, and assesses the effectiveness of their associated policy instruments
3.Energy Systems and Climate Policy MPE 683
This course examines the role played by various energy resources in fueling modern economic growth from early industrialization through present and provide a basic understanding of the technology, economics, social, and political aspects of various energy systems (non-renewable and renewable) for public policy analysis and the various energy options for climate change mitigation and adaptation. This course is organized into five broad sections: energy and economic development; non-renewable energy utilization and constraints; renewable energy policy and options; climate change science and policy; energy transition and sustainability. While the course is pitched in a larger international context, specific examples of energy policy issues relevant to Kazakhstan and the Central Asian region are covered in each lecture.
4.Global Energy Policy MPE 684
This course applies the policy cycle to energy sector whereby a variety of approaches are analyzed at the stages of agenda setting, formulation, decision-making, implementation and evaluation. Drawing on cases from the Global North and South, including Central Asian region and Kazakhstan specifically, a mix of energy policies and associated instruments are critically examined. The perspective taken is that of a policy maker confronting decisions about the design and implementation of energy policy that is informed by the learning from practices in different contexts, while focusing on ways that public policy can affect social and environmental outcomes.
5.Public Policy and Health Issues MPE 627
This course is an introduction to public policy in health and social issues, with special focus on countries and systems experiencing rapid demographic and epidemiological transitions. It will cover population health and development aspects, and the different approaches and methods of public policy in comparing present and future health-related challenges. It will examine the roles and relationships between public policies in planning, implementation and evaluation processes and different approaches of national systems in providing, regulating and paying for health care.
6. Development Assistance and Governance MPE 673
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be equipped with knowledge of the foundations of and issues/challenges in development assistance and public administration reform. Topics will include an introduction to the key institutions of development assistance, the role of international organizations in promoting public administration reform, internal governance of international development organizations. The assessment strategy will include both open-book/takeaway assignments and in-class/controlled environmental assessments in addition to class participation.
For more information and registration for the track, please contact Ms. Zhibek Shymbai, Manager of MPA and MPP programs at zhibek.shymbay@nu.edu.kz.