The Graduate School of Public Administration (GSPA) began as the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) of Thammasat University in 1955 as a result of international cooperation between the Royal Thai Government and the United States government, with Indiana University as the project manager. Early development of the IPA’s master degree of public administration program was supported by Indiana University, which took part in academic activities such as curriculum development, stat development scholarships, and teaching, research, and training.

In 1966, the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) was transferred from Thammasat University to the newly established National Institute of Development Administration and, since then, has become the Graduate School of Public Administration. The GSPA-NIDA has played a major role in professional development, aimed at satisfying the middle level human resource requirements of both the public and private sectors in pursuit of national development goals.

Over the years the Graduate School of Public Administration has expanded to respond in innovative way to the
growing demand for expertise in development administration in Thailand and the region. New education programs, such as the provincial degree programs and the Mini Master of Management Program, a short-term executive training course, have been added. With international cooperation as a key priority, the school has opered an international Ph.D.

Program in Development Administration since 1993, which is conducted in English and is available to international and Thai students. “The School commands an international reputation as the preeminent school in the gold of public administration in Thailand