The Centre for Public Policy and Administration (CPPA) at Queen's University Belfast bridges academia, public administration (including local government) and politics by fostering engagement and collaboration while respecting the distinct needs and expectations of each sector.
The Centre will make the process of engagement between academics and policymaking more systematic and open new avenues of research and engagement locally and internationally. In its practice-focused work, a demand led approach will be adopted to understand the major policy challenges faced by senior public servants and political leaders and thereafter align these challenges with national and international academic expertise to support evidence-based solutions. In turn, these policy challenges will form the basis for scholarly activity amongst the academic community and allow for inter-institutional and international collaborations.
This approach will ensure that policymakers are aware of the potential for academic expertise to address their significant policy challenges and know how to access the most appropriate expertise. From an academic perspective, it is important that there are structures in place to help mobilise knowledge and expertise to maximise impact locally, nationally and internationally.