Founding Universities Launch New Global Standard for City Leadership

King Saud University and LUISS today announced the opening of applications for the Master in City Administration (MCA), becoming founding academic partners in a globally coordinated postgraduate program designed to establish a new professional pathway toward city leadership.

The MCA is the first full-time executive degree designed specifically for city leadership. The program combines an interdisciplinary core curriculum with region-specific content and direct input from former mayors and senior city administrators, preparing graduates to lead across the political, technical, and governance dimensions of modern urban management.

The announcement was made at the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Azerbaijan, where urban leaders, academics, and international organisations have gathered to address the challenges around rapid urbanization, sustainability, and the midpoint of the New Urban Agenda.

His Excellency Fahd Al-Rasheed, Adviser to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Saudi Arabia and former Urban 20 Chair, said the founding universities will shape how the discipline develops globally.

"Founding institutions will not simply deliver this program: they will help define the global standard for how city leadership is taught," H.E. Al-Rasheed said.

“The offer of a globally recognized qualification and a clear career trajectory will help attract the best and brightest to consider building their future in urban leadership.”

The program addresses a documented gap in graduate-level education for urban leaders. Cities generate approximately 80% of global GDP and will require an estimated 290,000 trained administrators by 2050, as urban populations grow and hundreds of new or expanded cities are needed to accommodate them. Few universities currently offer postgraduate programs dedicated to preparing professionals for city leadership roles.

[NAME, Title, King Saud University] said the MCA represents a new category of executive education rather than an extension of existing programs.

"As a founding partner, we see the MCA as an opportunity to define a new category of executive education, one that reflects the realities of modern city leadership and equips future leaders with the skills required to deliver impact at scale," [SURNAME] said.

The program is designed as a global standard that is locally adaptable, with each founding university enhancing the core curriculum with relevant regional insights. Additional universities are invited to join the network as the program expands.

[NAME, Title, LUISS University] said the program bridges academic rigor with the practical demands of urban leadership.

"The MCA brings together academic excellence and practical experience in a way that is essential for training the next generation of urban leaders," [SURNAME] said.

"We are proud to contribute to shaping a globally relevant and rigorous program.”

Both King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and LUISS University in Rome, Italy, will begin delivering the MCA in September 2026. Universities wishing to enquire about participation in the global network are invited to visit http://www.mcadegree.org.