Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Innovative Governance

The programme offers interdisciplinary training on how public institutions work and on the policies that guide their action. The disciplines covered include public sector economics, management and organisation in the public sector, public and administrative law and public sector statistics. The curriculum integrates legal, economic, managerial and quantitative approaches, to give students the tools needed to design, implement and evaluate public policies effectively and innovatively. The focus is on understanding decision-making processes as well as on the tools for measuring policy outcomes, with a growing use of data and quantitative methods to assess the social, economic and environmental impact of public choices.

Teaching takes place over two years, full time, in Bolzano, in a trilingual setting with courses taught in Italian, German and English, with a substantial share of lessons in a foreign language. Students choose between two specialisation tracks. The first, Public Policy, Impact and Sustainability, focuses on the effectiveness of policy instruments and on developing quantitative analytical skills. The second, Governance, Law and Management, centres on the legal-administrative and managerial implementation of policies. The approach is practice-oriented: workshops, group projects, guest lectures and excursions to major institutions are provided, such as the European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Constitutional Court in Rome. Students also complete a training internship abroad or at international companies, which makes it possible to experience in the field the topics addressed in class and to build useful professional contacts. Visits to institutions such as the European Parliament and the Constitutional Court make it possible to observe at close quarters how decision-making bodies work, while work in small classes encourages direct exchange with faculty and peers on concrete cases.

The aim is to prepare managers for public bodies, public companies, non-profit organisations and private companies that work in close relationship with the public sector. The degree gives access to Italian public-sector competitive examinations and to further study with second-level masters or doctoral programmes. The programme is suited to graduates who wish to contribute to the innovation of administration and governance, with sensitivity to sustainability, transparency and the quality of services, in a territorial and institutional context characterised by multilingualism and a long tradition of autonomy. The programme is also useful for those already working in the public sector who wish to broaden their skills, or for those who wish to work as consultants for bodies and organisations involved in the design and implementation of public programmes.