Two Programs at AUC First to Receive Triple Crown Accreditation in Public Affairs Education

Two programs in the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at The American University in Cairo (AUC) –– the Master of Public Administration and Master of Public Policy –– have recently received accreditation from The European Association for Public Administration Accreditation (EAPAA). This latest accreditation makes the two programs the first in the world to receive “triple crown” accreditation in the field of public affairs education. The two programs, both in AUC’s Department of Public Policy, have already earned full accreditation from the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) and the International Commission on the Accreditation of Public Administration in Education and Training (ICAPA). “This exceptional triple crown recognition of the programs will resonate globally, creating vast windows of opportunities for our graduates,” said Nabil Fahmy, founding dean of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. [This accreditation], earned “just within eight years since the School of GAPP was founded, is a testimony to the stellar academic quality of these two programs and speaks to the unfailing commitment, dedication and stellar professionalism of the faculty and administration in the department, the school and AUC.”   EAPAA, which is the only quality assurance authority in Public Administration active throughout Europe, has accredited over 50 programs across the Council of Europe, including the leading institutes in the field. AUC’s Master of Public Administration and Master of Public Policy were the first two programs outside the Council of Europe to receive accreditation from EAPAA.  Both of the most recent accreditations involved a review process that consisted of self-studies, peer reviews and a University commitment to continuously raising its standard of education. The accreditation process required the programs’ faculty members to send reports on meetings, curricula, class syllabi and grade performance, among other documentation. Shahjahan Bhuiyan, chair of the Department of Public Policy and Administration and GAPP associate dean for administration and undergraduate studies, noted that the accreditation team members commended the scholarship they observed at AUC. “They were really impressed to see this well-organized reflection of what students do in class and how it is documented,” Bhuiyan said, adding that the Department of Public Policy and Administration is also one of the most diverse academic bodies at the University. “They were very happy to see the gender balance among faculty members and impressed to see the diversity of students –– especially those from outside of Cairo.”   The Department of Public Policy and Administration has been earning milestone achievements since its inception, becoming the first school outside of North America to earn an accreditation from NASPAA in 2015. Then, in July of this year, GAPP became the first public administration and policy program in the Middle East and North Africa region to receive accreditation from the United Nations-sponsored ICAPA in 2005. “This is the result of the commitment and dedication of AUC’s faculty, staff and administration and would not be possible without immense teamwork from those involved,” Bhuiyan said of this final crowning achievement. “This really is a historic moment for the students as well. They are studying in a triple crown program that is the first-of-its-kind.”