The KU Public Management Center

Welcome!

The KU Public Management Center offers professional development training to prepare leaders, develop professionalism in the public workforce, and link KU resources to the challenges of public management. Blending theory with practice, we are deeply dedicated to the proposition that public service still lies at the heart of a healthy democracy.

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Our Programs

The PMC was established in 1974 to bring KU's Master in Public Administration to Topeka. Over 400 scholars have earned their MPA degree with us and many now hold key leadership roles for the State of Kansas, local governments, and nonprofit organizations. Our highly motivated, mid-career students bring an array of professional experiences that enrich our classes.

We have also graduated nearly 1,000 Certified Public Managers from all across the state. CPM students are sent by their sponsoring agencies and spend 2-3 days per month for a calendar year with a curriculum based in managing work, leading people and developing self. Participants’ capstone projects offer a valuable tool to their agencies, often resulting in process improvements and cost savings.

Our Emerging Leaders Academy provides a unique development opportunity for promising non-managerial staff. Designed to help agencies with succession planning, this 6-month program offers participants an opportunity to learn from established public servants while developing a portfolio to help them identify and reach their professional goals.

We also offer a host of custom courses tailored to agency needs or provided in an open enrollment format. These include Basic Supervisory Training, Customer Service, Ethics, Difficult Conversations, Harassment in the Workplace and many others.