Building an In-House Public Affairs Academy. The Internal Side of Public Affairs (55)

By Alan Hardacre, PhD

Co-Founder Advocacy Academy, Advocacy Strategy

As organisations operate in increasingly complex political, regulatory, and societal environments, Public Affairs teams are being asked to do more—with greater sophistication, speed, and cross-functional alignment. This in itself is obviously a challenge. But there is a second challenge emerging that we see with many clients - internal capability and capacity building in Public Affairs is not keeping pace with the demands and developments.

That’s where the concept of a Public Affairs Academy comes in. It is more than just a one-off or training program, it's a structured capability and capacity platform that looks to build out and across an organisation – starting with the Public Affairs team but extending to adjacent teams such as regulatory and communications as well as GMs and anyone involved in Trade Association work. I see this idea really gaining traction so I thought to take a look in more detail at what this entails.

1. It starts with a Structured Learning Path

A Public Affairs Academy offers a clear, progressive learning journey—from foundational knowledge for junior colleagues to strategic development for senior leaders or tailored skills and knowledge for anyone representing a company in a trade association.

• Early-career professionals learn the building blocks: stakeholder mapping, issue tracking, advocacy techniques, and ethical engagement.

• Mid-level leaders deepen their expertise in strategic frameworks, policy shaping, coalitions and chamber work, and internal influence.

• Senior leaders refine their ability to manage complex portfolios, drive prioritization and quantification exercises, lead across the business and advise C-suite stakeholders.

  
  

Why it matters: This structure ensures consistency in how Public Affairs is practiced—regardless of geography or business unit—while still allowing for local nuance and individual growth.

2. Centralize Tools, Templates, and Best Practices

Too often, institutional knowledge is fragmented or undocumented. This is one area that I consistently find to be so important when working with clients - developing their own Public Affairs tools and templates – tailored to their needs. Here an Academy can serve as the living repository of Public Affairs excellence, offering:

• Tools and templates that are mandatory

• Tools and templates that are for inspiration

• Public Affairs planning toolkits

• Public Affairs metrics and evaluation models

• Case studies and lessons learned

The idea is that this hub becomes the go-to destination for onboarding, knowledge sharing, and accelerating the time from insight to impact. It will save time, boost professionalism and a clear Public Affairs brand identity.

Why it matters: By centralizing (and iterating) what works, teams avoid duplication, align on standards, and enable faster onboarding and execution. It also means the team and function present the same face internally no matter the market or issue.

3. Integrate Emerging Skills: Data / AI / Quantification / Geopolitics / …

Public Affairs is evolving (and the scope is growing) so it isn't just about relationships anymore. It is about developing so many more skills in our people to be effective internally and externally.

I have seen organisations with leading-edge Academies recently integrate modules and training on:

• AI in Public Affairs – building team Agents

• Data literacy for Public Affairs work

• Crisis simulation and scenario planning

• Geo-political mapping and understanding

• Public Affairs success metrics / quantification

Why it matters: These skills are no longer ‘nice to have’—they’re fast becoming essential to staying relevant both externally and internally.

4. Foster a Community and Shared Identity

In larger organisations, Public Affairs teams are often dispersed and operate in different contexts. That said even in a one-office team an Academy provides:

• A common language and shared standards

• Peer-to-peer learning opportunities

• Leadership forums and cross-regional collaboration

• Stories of success and lessons from failure

• A focus point on the practice of Public Affairs so we can get better

Why it matters: Building a strong internal Public Affairs identity fosters cohesion, pride, and purpose—especially important in navigating complex or politically sensitive issues. It is important to dedicate time to discussing and improving our Public Affairs work.

5. Support Career Development and Retain Talent

Career paths in Public Affairs are often unclear or informal. A strong Academy can:

• Map out competency models and growth milestones

• Offer learning pathways aligned with career stages

• Connect training with real-world assignments or stretch projects

• Signal long-term commitment to internal talent

Why it matters: People stay and grow when they see a future. An Academy turns Public Affairs from a job into a profession—strengthening retention and succession planning.

I am seeing much more interest in Public Affairs Academies these days - many organisations are seeing both a need but also a competitive and retention advantage to developing an in-house Academy. What is your organisation doing?