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The Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy recently announced a new Technology Policy concentration, designed to help experienced policy leaders navigate the rapidly evolving intersection of technology, governance, and the public good.
The new concentration will launch in the 2026-27 academic year, allowing current MPA applicants to choose between Technology Policy and the existing Leadership, Management, and Ethics degree concentration.
The new concentration reflects Sanford’s commitment to equipping public affairs leaders with the skills and insights needed in an era of rapid digital transformation. Whether for technologists seeking to deepen their understanding of policy and management or policy professionals navigating the challenges and opportunities of new technologies, the concentration provides a flexible and rigorous pathway for executive MPA students.
“Technology is transforming every facet of modern life, from how economies function and governments interact with their citizens to how people engage with the world around them” said Asher Hildebrand, Director of Graduate Studies for the MPA. “Our new concentration will give students the tools to lead in this fast-changing environment while staying grounded in values of accountability, inclusion, and the public good. We see this as a natural extension of Sanford’s broader mission to prepare principled, effective leaders.”
Innovation in Format and Focus
Designed for working professionals with at least seven years of postgraduate experience, the Sanford executive MPA combines in-person residencies, weekly online class meetings, and self-paced online modules, enabling students to balance academic rigor with professional and personal commitments. Students attend in-person residencies at the beginning of each semester, located on Duke’s campus in North Carolina or in its Washington, D.C. learning center. These residencies are foundational experiences that foster connections, set students up for success in online learning, and provide immersive opportunities to engage with policymakers, alumni, and peers.
By blending digital learning with face-to-face engagement, the MPA program demonstrates how technology can enhance access, foster collaboration, and support professional development. This same spirit of innovation underpins the new degree concentration. It reflects a recognition that technology is not only transforming policy challenges but also reshaping the way leaders learn and lead.
Tech Policy in Action
The program’s growing emphasis on technology was already on display during the MPA’s Fall 2025 residency, which culminated in a keynote panel on the future of artificial intelligence and its implications for policy practitioners.
The panel featured Ronnie Chatterji (Chief Economist at OpenAI and Distinguished Professor of Business and Public Policy at Duke), Matt Perault (Head of AI Policy at Andreessen Horowitz and Senior Fellow at New York University’s Center on Technology Policy), and Anne Washington (Sanford's new Rothermere/Harmsworth Duke Associate Professor, a computer scientist trained in organizational ethnography who applies her expertise in digital innovation to issues of data governance.) Sanford Assistant Professor Robyn Caplan, an expert on platform governance, moderated the conversation.
The event reflected the cutting-edge focus Sanford is bringing to technology policy. By convening leading voices from academia, government, and industry, the school is exploring how AI and other emerging technologies are reshaping public life. For MPA students, it provided a direct window into the kinds of questions and debates they will continue to wrestle with as public affairs practitioners.
A Curriculum for an Era of Digital Transformation
The Technology Policy curriculum will span topics such as artificial intelligence, data governance, cybersecurity, trade, climate technology, and the information environment. Courses are designed to blend conceptual frameworks with applied practice, enabling students to analyze real-world cases and develop strategies for their own organizations.
The initial course offerings are currently under development, but sample courses might include:
- Technology in the Public Interest – Examining how technology can be designed and governed to advance democratic values.
- Data Governance & Privacy – Understanding regulatory frameworks and developing governance plans suited to cross-sector contexts.
- Cybersecurity Policy & Practice – Assessing risks and creating response strategies for institutions and critical infrastructure.
- Technology & Climate – Weighing the promise and challenges of digital tools in advancing climate solutions.
- Technology & Trade Policy – Navigating the interplay of innovation, security, and global competition.
- Navigating the Information Environment – Mapping and managing contemporary challenges like disinformation and fractured media landscapes.
- AI Challenges and Opportunities for Public Affairs Practitioners – Developing responsible AI use cases tailored to organizational missions.
“These are some of the most pressing issues facing public leaders today,” said Manoj Mohanan, Interim Dean of Sanford. “By equipping our students with the capacity to bridge technology and policy, Sanford is helping to ensure that public institutions remain resilient, innovative, and responsive to the communities they serve.”
Sanford faculty began developing the concentration after extensive consultation with students, alumni, and external partners. The concentration builds on Sanford’s strengths in executive education and its location in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, a hub for innovation, research, and technology.
Looking ahead, Sanford expects the new concentration to strengthen the program’s appeal to a diverse group of students from across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The school also anticipates continued growth in future years as student demand and faculty capacity expand.
“We are investing in leaders who not only understand how technology is changing the world, but can harness these changes responsibly and strategically to advance their organizations’ missions and serve the public good,” Hildebrand said. “That is the kind of leadership the world needs, and the kind of leadership Sanford is uniquely positioned to cultivate.”