DeCelles Award for Excellence in Teaching Public Administration

Winner - 2026 DeCelles Award for Excellence in Public Administration Teaching

The Pierre DeCelles Award for Excellence in Teaching Public Administration is aimed at excellent mid- or late-career post-secondary teachers in the field of public administration and recognizes the outstanding skill, accomplishment, innovation, and commitment of an exceptionally creative and effective teacher who is worthy of emulation. The award honours the memory of Professor Pierre DeCelles, who taught for many years at the École nationale d’administration publique, was recognized for his teaching there, and was ENAP’s Director General.

Winner 2026

The Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA) is pleased to announce the winner of the 2026 Pierre DeCelles Award for Excellence in Teaching is Professor Brooke Jeffrey, Department of Political Science, Concordia University.

This award recognizes outstanding contributions to teaching in public administration, and Dr. Jeffrey’s record is truly remarkable. Over the course of more than 30 years, she has taught an extraordinary breadth of public administration courses at the undergraduate and master’s levels, reaching students in their second, third, and fourth years, as well as those pursuing graduate studies. In total, she has taught more than 100 courses and has chaired 55 thesis and internship defences, demonstrating a deep and sustained commitment to student learning, mentorship, and academic development.

Dr. Jeffrey’s teaching is also distinguished by its diversity and innovation. Her courses have combined classic public administration texts with contemporary federal and provincial case studies, allowing students to engage with real-world issues of varying complexity. Drawing on her own professional experience, she has designed assignments that mirror the demands of public service and public administration practice, including briefings, debates, case analyses, and research papers. These assignments helped students develop the ability to communicate effectively with different audiences and to apply their knowledge in practical, professional contexts.

She also embraced innovative approaches to teaching, including bi-campus interactive sessions that connected students across the country to discuss intergovernmental issues. This approach enriched the classroom experience and exposed students to a broader range of perspectives on Canadian public administration.

The testimonials from Dr. Jeffrey’s current and former students are especially powerful. Many of these students now work in academia and the civil service, and they speak with great appreciation of the direct impact she had on their academic journeys, professional development, and career choices.

Beyond her own classroom, Dr. Jeffrey has made an important contribution to the overall educational experience at Concordia University, particularly through her work to strengthen and develop the Master of Public Policy and Public Administration program.

For her exceptional dedication to teaching, her innovative and practice-oriented pedagogy, her mentorship of students, and her lasting contribution to public administration education in Canada, CAPPA is honoured to present the Pierre DeCelles Award for Excellence in Teaching to Dr. Brooke Jeffrey.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to the members of the Award Jury for their time and service to the public administration community.

Thank you also to the students, faculty, and community members who took the time to nominate talented professors of public administration, management, and policy. We encourage you to participate in next year's DeCelles Award process, and look for the call for nomination later this year.