SPP team secures a spot on the podium at the National Public Administration Case

In the ongoing debate around return-to-office (RTO) policies within Canada's Public Service, a group of Master of Public Policy (MPP) students from the School of Public Policy (SPP) achieved an impressive podium finish for their proposal during the School's first-ever participation in the 2025 National Public Administration Student Case Competition.

Facing off against 14 teams from universities across the country, the Calgary team—comprising Haris Ahmad, Brianne Dangerfield, Muneer Nazir, Ty Willness, and Serena (Thi) T.—secured a tie with York University for the Bronze Prize. Organized by the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA), the competition tasked students with formulating policy recommendations concerning ethics, RTO directives, and the workplace culture within the Public Service. "Collaborating on a real-world policy challenge highlighted the application of our academic lessons," remarked Ahmad. "It underscored that policy work is not just theoretical—it's a tangible practice. We're proud to represent our School." A Standout Debut for UCalgary: This achievement marks the University of Calgary's inaugural participation in the competition, making the team's success particularly noteworthy, according to Dr. Kent Fellows, Director of Graduate Programs at SPP and advisor to the team. "Three key aspects made this team remarkable," stated Fellows. "Firstly, we're primarily a public policy school, not a public administration one, which makes competing at this level impressive.

Secondly, this was our first time competing. Lastly, the team was entirely self-organized. They approached me with the initiative to enter a case study competition. Their motivation made this possible; they took the lead." Over ten days, the students devised solutions for federal RTO directives, concentrating on Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). Their proposals sought to improve productivity and community service in the post-pandemic landscape while tackling issues like inconsistent policy enforcement, office space limitations, and accusations of political interference. The competition concluded with a full day of presentations in late February to a panel of judges that included senior officials from various levels of government as well as leaders from the private and nonprofit sectors. Concordia University claimed the Shepherd Prize for first place, while the University of Toronto took home the silver award. In a climate marked by complex challenges and increasing polarization, the University of Calgary's remarkable entry into the CAPPA case competition highlights the quality of its students and the School of Public Policy's dedication to nurturing the next generation of policymakers who will shape Canada's future.
Source @Spp team