The National Academy of Public Administration under the Office of the President of Ukraine (NAPA) began its history in May 1995. That same year it opened regional campuses in Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv, Odesa and Kharkiv. They received status as regional institutes in 2001.

Today, NAPA is the main post-secondary institution with Level IV accreditation in the system for the training, re-training and professional development of civil servants and local government personnel.

In its short existence, NAPA has achieved some significant milestones in establishing and developing educational and research activities. The Academy has 15 faculties and 58 departments. Its teaching staff includes more than 120 PhDs and professors, as well as 350 post-graduate fellows and lecturers.

NAPA's educational programs, which have a strong component of practical work, engage some of the finest domestic and international specialists and highly-placed government officials.

In 2006, the system of professional development for civil servants began to undergo a modernization process. NAPA developed a Roadmap with clearly defined strategic development priorities both for the National Academy and for public administration as a whole.

NAPA has established the theoretical foundations of democratic governance, which has made it possible to begin putting together new professional development programs. This involves instituting a new series of training programs: 1.5 weeks to prepare for senior administrative positions, 2 weeks of training after an appointment, a 2-day course after the coming into effect of new legislation, and a 2-week course for elected officials at all levels.

In 2007, an experimental standard for higher education was introduced at NAPA-a Masters of Public Administration degree. In 2008 seven new masters programs in a number of specializations completed the licensing process as well: "Public Policy and Government", "Public Policy in National Security", "Regional Government", "Local Government", "Public Administration of Healthcare", 'Public Administration of Education", "Electronic Government".

In the last 13 years, NAPA has graduated 12,000 Masters in Public Administration, who now hold posts at various levels in government and local government offices.

More than 60 PhDs, 220 doctoral students and 130 recipients of certificates in public administration have gone through NAPA's new cycle of courses.

NAPA's full-time day Masters program has been accredited by the European Public Administration Accreditation Association, becoming only the fourth such accreditation program in Europe.

The main objective of NAPA's Masters programs is to prepare professional administrators who are capable of developing, analyzing and enacting public policy and to creatively and effectively carry out administrative functions.

Every year, NAPA selects applicants to audit its day, evening and distance educational programs for specializations such as "State Management" and "Managing Social Development."

Since its opening, NAPA has considered one of its main purposes has been to prepare research and teaching professionals with higher qualifications in the branch of studies known as "State Management." The first applicants for Masters and Doctors degrees were accepted in 1996. Today, the Academy and its regional institutes teach more than 500 masters students, 80 PhD students and more than 300 certificate students. NAPA also has six specialized academic councils for the defense of dissertations.

Altogether, NAPA has established all the conditions for individuals to attain a quality, modern education. Material and technical conditions in the Academy's teaching facilities as well as at its dormitories are constantly being upgraded.

To make its educational process more effective, NAPA is using the latest Information and Communication Technology. The Academy has also opened a new library with modern electronic catalogs and a database that contains nearly 24,000 titles of books, pamphlets, monographs and periodicals.

With technical assistance from the Government of Canada and the help of the World Bank, NAPA has opened a Distance Learning Center, which was the first such center in the Eurasian region of the Global Development Learning Network. In order to develop distance learning in Ukraine, the Center is carrying out research and developing and introducing new forms and technologies for distance learning together with NAPA departments.

International cooperation is another strategic area of activity for NAPA in order to study and implement international practice. For the purpose of activating the current educational system and curricula, NAPA maintains ties with 32 countries, which fosters the integration of the institution into European and world education, the application of world achievements in public administration, and the establishment of partnerly ties with foreign and international institutions. In addition, it offers the opportunity for additional financing from international foundations, programs and initiatives.

NAPA is a member of the Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe (NISPAcee), the European Association of Public Administration Accreditation (EAPAA), the European Group of Public Administration (EGPA), European Network of Training Organisations for Local and Regional Authorities (ENTO) and the International Institute of Administrative Studies (IIAS).

Today's NAPA graduates represent a new generation of professionals in public administration. The contemporary knowledge and skills that they gain during their studies are necessary in order to entrench truly democratic social justice, to protect human rights and freedoms, and to ensure sustainable growth based on world and European standards.

NAPA has been given an important mission in terms of providing quality professional development for civil servants in line with the demands of a new, democratic political system.

NAPA is a guarantee of democratic transformations in Ukraine and the training of government officials for a democratic, lawful and social state.