University of Toronto, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Graduate Students Gain Professional Advantage Through Case Competitions

After a remarkable 2024-25 academic year winning seven national and international case competitions, graduate students at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy are proving that the most valuable education happens when theory meets practice. These competitions, which included topics from climate change and healthcare innovation to immigration policy, allowed students to demonstrate their expertise by working in teams to solve complex, real-world problems under strict time constraints.

Among these achievements was a standout performance at the Urban Policy Lab Case Competition, where 28 Munk School students, organized into teams of four and paired with an alumni mentor, presented to a panel of expert judges a strategy to decarbonize Toronto’s building stock.

“All teams presented a unique and thoughtful set of policy proposals to this multifaceted problem, working under tight timelines while balancing innovation with feasibility,” says Gabriel Eidelman, director of the Urban Policy Lab. “The experience underscored the importance of collaboration, creativity, and pragmatism — lessons that will serve them well as future urban policy leaders.”

The Munk School’s Urban Policy Lab is a training ground for students interested in city-focused policy careers. It partners with municipalities, business groups, and civic organizations around Toronto to provide students with “unparalleled opportunities to engage with real policy challenges,” such as through its eponymous case competition, Eidelman explains.

Case competitions are a key component of experiential learning at the Munk School, which is located in the heart of downtown Toronto, a global city that offers unrivaled access to a diverse ecosystem of business, culture, and policy leaders. “There are always major Canadian figures coming through campus who want our advice,” says Michael Donnelly, director of professional master’s programs at the Munk School. “We recently ran a two-day AI Accelerator Program for senior government decision-makers and put our students in the room with industry leaders, policymakers, and academics. They benefit from those kinds of connections.”

Experiential learning, which both enables students to expand their network and develop professional competencies, is integral to the school’s cornerstone Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Global Affairs (MGA) degrees. In addition, MGA students can pursue a dual-degree program with one of three partner schools abroad: the London School of Economics, Sciences Po in Paris, or the Hertie School in Berlin. MPP students can also choose to pursue a dual-degree program with IE Business School in Madrid.

This preparation serves students well as they navigate the job market after graduation and is reflected in the school’s impressive employment statistics: about 90 percent of Munk School graduates are employed three months after graduation in diverse roles across the private sector, government, and nongovernmental organizations.

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University of Toronto, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
munkschool.utoronto.ca
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