Columbia’s SIPA MPA in Development Practice Information Session
Are you motivated to act in the face of persistent social inequality, unsustainable environmental practices, conflict and poor governance, and widespread poverty? Are you committed to sustainability and resiliency as essential — not just desirable — attributes of a better society? Are you frustrated by the difficulty of implementing good ideas and taking effective practices to scale? Are you seeking a practice-orientated, interdisciplinary education experience to enable you to reach your full potential as an agent of change?
If you answered yes to two or more of these questions, Columbia’s SIPA Master of Public Administration in Development Practice (MPA-DP) is likely the right program for you.
We invite you to learn more about the 21-month MPA-DP program, a practice-oriented degree designed for professional advancement. This STEM-designated degree offers a blend of academic and practical experiences, including a 3-month professional placement, a team capstone project, and internships.
Join the Universal Food Security Dialogue
Achieving a food-secure world, free from hunger and malnutrition, requires transforming how our food is grown, managed, and distributed. In his book, Glenn Denning bridges science, policy, and practice, sharing insights from over four decades of work in more than fifty countries. Join us for a fireside chat where Denning discusses his book and offers actionable steps toward universal food security and how the book connects to the practice-oriented nature of the program.
Panel
Glenn Denning joined SIPA in 2009 as founding Director of the Master of Public Administration in Development Practice (MPA-DP), a joint undertaking of SIPA with Columbia University’s Earth Institute. He teaches core Universal Food Security and Sustainable Development Policy and Practice courses.
From 2011 to 2014, Denning served as Director of the Earth Institute’s Center on Globalization and Sustainable Development. Prior to joining SIPA, Denning helped establish The MDG Centre of East and Southern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, serving as its founding director from 2004 to 2009.
Over the past 40 years, Denning has advised governments and international organizations on agriculture and food policy in more than 50 countries. At the global level, he served on the UN Millennium Project Hunger Task Force (2004-6) and the Senior Steering Group of the UN High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis (2009-13). Denning worked in the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research for 24 years and held senior management positions at the International Rice Research Institute and the World Agroforestry Centre.
Denning contributed to the design and establishment of the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) and served on GAFSP’s Technical Advisory Committee (2010-14), reviewing, evaluating, and endorsing country proposals that resulted in the approval of over $1 billion of grant funding to more than 25 countries. He also served on the founding board of the Institute of African Leadership for Sustainable Development (UONGOZI Institute). Denning has advised the Asian Development Bank on aligning its strategy and operations to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.
In 2000, the Government of Cambodia honored Denning as Commander of the Royal Order of Sahametrei for his role in establishing the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute and his contributions to increasing national rice production. In 2014, Denning received the Columbia University Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching. Denning won the prestigious Global Australian of the Year Award for 2023, recognizing his efforts to end global hunger and promote sustainable development.
Denning is the author of Universal Food Security: How to End Hunger While Protecting the Planet (Columbia University Press, 2023).
Amanda Hutson is the Assistant Director of Practice and Partnerships, M.P.A. in Development Practice, at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs.