The University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy has launched its first dual degree program in Asia, partnering with the University of Tokyo. Beginning in 2027, students will be able to earn two public policy master’s degrees in two years, moving between Toronto and Tokyo as part of the program.
Key facts
- The partnership is between the Munk School and the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy.
- Students in the program will earn a Master of Public Policy from Munk and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Tokyo.
- The first cohort will be supported by Global Affairs Canada’s Indo-Pacific Regional Connectivity Envelope, which covers University of Tokyo tuition and travel expenses in full.
- Applications are due by January 2026, and successful candidates begin in September 2027.
- The program is designed to build policy expertise for work in government, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.
What does the new Toronto-Tokyo program mean for applicants?
The new program gives successful applicants a chance to study public policy in two global cities and leave with two graduate credentials. It is aimed at candidates who want training in international cooperation and comparative policy, with studies split between Toronto and Tokyo over two years.
The first cohort has a specific funding advantage: Global Affairs Canada’s Indo-Pacific Regional Connectivity Envelope will cover University of Tokyo tuition and travel expenses in full. Applicants must meet the January 2026 deadline, and those selected will start the program in September 2027.
- Who is affected: prospective public policy graduate students.
- Where: Toronto, Canada, and Tokyo, Japan.
- Funding: full coverage of Tokyo tuition and travel for the first cohort.
- Next step: submit applications by January 2026.
Why this partnership matters now
The Munk School said the program reflects the University of Toronto’s growing role as a hub for Canada-Japan research, teaching and policy dialogue. It also comes as Canada and Japan have deepened ties across policy and diplomatic fields, including a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership announced by prime ministers Carney and Takaichi in March 2026.
For students, the value of the program is not only the dual credential. The structure is designed to expose participants to different policy traditions, institutional settings and economic contexts. The school says that comparison may be especially useful for issues both countries face, including aging populations, productivity pressures and the need to navigate great power rivalry.
What will students study across the two universities?
Students will earn a Master of Public Policy from the Munk School and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy, also known as GraSPP. The program is intended to prepare graduates for leadership roles in government, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and the private sector.
Phillip Lipscy, director of the Centre for the Study of Global Japan at the Munk School, said the partnership will also create opportunities for students from Japan to study in Toronto and work with Munk faculty. Randall Hansen, director of international partnerships at the school, said the format offers a chance to compare how Canada and Japan respond to shared but differently structured economic challenges.
What happens next for applicants?
Applications for the new dual degree are due by January 2026. Successful candidates will begin the program in September 2027, giving admitted students time to plan for a two-country graduate pathway that includes study in both Toronto and Tokyo.
The arrangement is the Munk School’s first dual degree program in Asia and adds a new international pathway for students interested in comparative policy, Canada-Japan relations and broader Indo-Pacific policy questions.
