Mission and Vision

The mission of the Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership is to enhance professional and institutional ethics and accountability in public service and leadership. The Johnson Institute reflects GSPIA's nearly 50-year commitment to producing professionals who adhere to the highest standards of ethics and public accountability. The Johnson Institute provides students, faculty, and the community at-large with opportunities to engage in disciplined reflection and rigorous inquiry on issues of ethics and accountability of particular interest to the public and nonprofit sectors.

To fulfill this mission, the Johnson Institute focuses on three program areas:

• Applied Research - The goal of the Institute's applied research program is to stimulate reflection and inquiry on issues of ethics and accountability in public service. Scholars, students, and professionals from around the world are encouraged to submit papers and compete in an annual "best paper" award for research on issues of ethics, responsible leadership, and accountability in public life. The goal of the project is to publish the papers as a working series on ethics and accountability issues in public management.
  
  
• Teaching - The Johnson Institute works with GSPIA faculty to integrate teaching of ethics and accountability across the curriculum. A faculty development program and curriculum development grants have led to the development of teaching materials, the sponsoring of guest lectures, and the development of other techniques for teaching ethics and accountability in each of the division's core courses.
  
  
• Public Outreach - The Johnson Institute's public outreach program promotes discussion and debate on timely public policy issues that involve ethical behavior and accountable leadership in the public sector. This part of the mission is accomplished through conferences, workshops, and public meetings hosted by the Johnson Institute. As resources permit, staff of the Johnson Institute will provide advice and teaching assistance to organizations that want to enhance their accountability to the public.
  
  

These three aspects of the Johnson Institute mission work in concert to enhance the quality of public leadership in government, nonprofit, and nongovernmental organizations in the United States and abroad.

Contact Information

Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership
University of Pittsburgh
3913 W.W. Posvar Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Phone: (412) 648-1336
Fax: (412) 648-2605
ethics@gspia.pitt.edu