Welcome Message
My colleagues and I would like to welcome you warmly to the School of Public and International Affairs. The three pillars of the MPIA are bilingualism (French – English), interdisciplinarity, and the interdependence of domestic and international dimensions in studying public affairs. Since English and French constitute the two official languages of Canada, as well as the official and working languages of all UN institutions and treaty-bodies, and most notably the official languages of the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, we are proud to offer courses and internships in both languages to prepare our students for careers in diplomacy, politics, law and international institutions.
Our students benefit from close mentoring relationships with dynamic professors whose fields of research are varied, and which include social policy, law, indigenous studies, immigration, the environment, international development and international relations, privacy and surveillance, European politics, and economics and public policy.
Also, students attend the weekly Colloquium, taught by renowned politician and human rights advocate Mary Anne Chambers, who invites distinguished speakers, notably members of Parliament, judges, senators, journalists and human rights advocates, to give lectures in their fields of expertise.
Our program combines theory and practice, as students partake in internships in the federal and provincial governments, including Global Affairs Canada, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Education, as well as the UN and International tribunals, such as the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
One of the program’s most invaluable qualities is the diversity of our students, not only linguistically and culturally, but also in terms of programs of study at the undergraduate level. All our students are bilingual and some speak three languages or more. We are especially proud of this rich diversity and wish to build on it by making available to them an array of internships as well as exchanges with sister programs in Quebec and abroad. The MPIA presently has exchange programs with several universities worldwide, including Sciences-Po Paris and El Colégio de México. We offer our students the opportunity to attend UN Security Council Sessions with high level UN and Canadian officials during our yearly trip to NY. Our students also participate in case competitions, such as the National Public Administration Student Case Competition.
Thanks to events organized by the School, students have direct contact with leading public figures in the Canadian and international communities. The School therefore offers a unique opportunity for expanding your horizons. We are confident that you will find your time at the School an unforgettable experience.
Francis Garon
Graduate Program Director, Glendon School of Public and International Affairs
