uOttawa campus from above

About the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs

Housed in the nation’s capital, the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs will open doors for you on the national and international stage.

Mission of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA)

At the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA), we are dedicated to providing a bilingual and experiential education that integrates a constellation of disciplines spanning political science, economics, law, environmental science, history, philosophy, and public health.

At the GSPIA:

  • We equip our students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences to become catalysts for change – in Canada and beyond – by offering strong, rigorous programs which integrate theory and practice across a range of disciplines.
  • With passion and precision, we deliver a learning experience which captures the complex interactions between national and global phenomena.
  • We encourage our students to partake in immersive networking experiences with policymakers through discussions and seminars with Senior Fellows, internship opportunities, co-op placements and other hands-on experiences that come up thanks to the GSPIA’s unique location in the heart of Canada’s vibrant capital.
Roland Paris, Director of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
Roland Paris, Director of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
  • We dedicate seminars and training sessions to ensure that our students are well-equipped for successful careers as policy analysts and leaders in government, non-governmental organizations, journalism, international organizations, and the private sector.
  • We provide an opportunity for students to study in a bilingual environment and to strengthen their language skills.

Meet your director, Roland Paris.

Meet our professors

Meet more professors on our Faculty page!

Vision of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA)

The Graduate School of Public and International Affairs educates highly qualified leaders conscious of their responsibility to the common good in the domains of international relations, public policy, environmental sustainability, security, and defence. The School pursues cutting edge research with public sectors and non-profit organizations.

At the GSPIA, we connect with local, national, and global communities through a range of programs, including internships, co-op placements, and international exchanges. MA students in public and international affairs also benefit from being paired with a Senior Fellow – an expert in their field, with deep knowledge of international affairs and public policy – who offers students insights and guidance drawn from their distinguished career.

The Graduate School of Public and International Affairs offers a unique bilingual, inter-disciplinary environment where our students – committed to making a global impact – and our internationally recognized, leading professors and researchers – devoted to the study of all aspects of security and defence studies and the broad remit of public and international affairs – can explore from theoretical and practical perspectives, the challenges shaping the 21st century and can assess in depth how to respond through policy that has a significant impact. All coming together in the heart of our nation’s capital, Ottawa, our programs ensure that our graduates have the confidence, training, and skills to make a difference no matter the sector of international affairs they choose to invest their careers in. 

Explore how our unique approach can advance your career.

Chess game
Ferry De Kerckhove

Meet our Senior Fellows

Get to know our Honorary Senior Fellows.
Watch the interviews (available in English and French).

Contact us

Graduate School of Public and International Affairs

Faculty of Social Sciences
Social Sciences Building
120 University Private, Room 6005
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5
Canada (map)

Tel.: 613-562-5689

[email protected]

Office hours

Monday to Friday
8:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(June to August: closed at 3:30 p.m.)

Note

Please note our services and our personnel are available by MS Teams and by email.

The Social Sciences (FSS) and Vanier (VNR) buildings are open seven days a week from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.