The Master of Research and Public Policy (MRPP) is a unique collaborative graduate programme offered in multiple universities in Africa from 2014. With a dual focus on social science research and public policy (as distinct from public administration or public management), the programme is attractive to those who wish to be researchers and future academics as well as those who wish to use research as policy practitioners.

The Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) worked with 12 universities in 9 African countries to design the programme collaboratively. This means the MRPP is delivered using a common architecture, course content and teaching practices, with the degree granted by each university using common assessment standards and thesis requirements. As at March 2016, the programme has been launched at eleven universities.

MRPP’s vision is a programme that provides for the development of competencies in research and public policy that would generate a cadre of professionals able to work in a wide variety of settings including but not limited to government bodies, think tanks, civil society organisations, regional and international organisations, media and universities.