The mission of the GSPM is to prepare students for participation in democratic politics, to provide them with both knowledge and know how, and to educate them so that their work will contribute to the furtherance of democratic ideals in both technical skill and professional responsibility. The School is neither affiliated nor identified with any particular political party, organization, group or philosophy. Students, faculty and administration are united in their belief that politics and public leadership constitute a high calling that should be conducted with integrity and professionalism. The GSPM seeks to promote awareness that democratic values and traditions of fair play and mutual respect must take precedence over partisan aspirations for policy outcomes.
All academic institutions have a dual mission.
Not only do they teach tomorrow's leaders, they also have a responsibility to generate knowledge, particularly in a field that is as rapidly changing and as fraught with difficulties as politics. The GSPM seeks to stimulate self-examination within the profession of politics by advancing knowledge in the field, lauding appropriate professional conduct, encouraging the discussion of ethics and the development of professional standards, and striving to advance societal imperatives over the narrower agendas of individual practitioners.