The implementation of decentralization has spawned increasingly urgent demands for the provision of policy analysts and researchers. Within this context, policy makers and intellectuals are required to be able to analyze policy as well as examine problems holistically, while mastering information technology. Graduate programs related to research and policy analysis are urgently needed to build a reliable professional community for conducting research and policy analysis.

To respond to this need, the Center for Population and Policy Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM PSKK), an internationally recognized center for research and studies in the field of population and development policy, has developed a Master and Doctoral Programs of Leadership and Policy Innovation in collaboration with the Graduate School. These are unique programs designed to develop analytical skills and the capacity to conduct research on policy studies. Through these programs, students are expected to affect change on the paradigms and approaches used in the management of governance and public services to reflect the contextual and dynamic nature of the democratization process.