CPA Parliamentary Academy
CPA Parliamentary Academy

CPA Masterclasses Library

Providing expert professional development video lectures and briefings for Commonwealth parliamentarians and parliamentary staff 

The CPA Masterclasses are an online resource to assist Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff in their professional development. The Masterclasses are concise video briefings on a particular subject or topic such as gender, trade or parliamentary procedure. The videos are aimed at building parliamentary capacity and knowledge. 

From 2021, the Masterclass series were integrated into the CPA Parliamentary Academy.

The a list of the Masterclasses can be viewed below: 

Parliamentary Ethics

Professor Charles Sampford speaks about implementing parliamentary ethics and codes of conduct in Parliaments and Legislatures.

Disaster Risk Reduction

"Disaster Risk Reduction Law" and "How Malta tackled the Libya Crisis"

Electoral Reform

Delivered by Mr Malcolm Baalman, Australian Political Science Writer and Public Policy Analyst

Gender and Parliaments

This section includes the following Masterclasses:
  • Gender budgeting and gender analysis. Presenter: Ms Yasmin Ratansi, MP, Federal Parliament of Canada
  • Women's and Gender Caucusing. Presenter: Hon. Brenda Hood, former Senator, Parliament of Grenada
  • How to set up a mentoring programme for female Parliamentarians. Presenter: Ms Poto Williams, MP, Parliament of New Zealand
  • The role of male MPs as Agents of Change. Presenter: The Hon. Lechesa Tsenoli, MP, Parliament of South Africa

Corporate Leadership

Delivered by Mr Ian Lawson and Ms Maggie Smith, Towards Outstanding Leadership Programme (TOLP)

Parliamentarians and local government

Delivered by Dr Carl Wright Secretary-General Emeritus and Ex-officio Board Member at the Commonwealth Local Government Forum

Separation of Powers in Relation to Parliament

"The Separation of Powers and the Distinction between the State and Government- Why does it matter?" Part 1 and 2 Delivered by the Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG, former Justice of the High Court of Australia

Trade and the Role of Parliamentarians

This section includes the following Masterclasses:
  • The 10th WTO Ministerial Conference: outcomes, processes, next steps. Presenter: Mr Bernard Kuiten, Head of External Relations of the World Trade Organization
  • The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Dispute Settlement System. Presenter: Ms Ankai Xu, Information Officer of the World Trade Organization
  • The Participation of CARICOM Countries in the World Trade Organisation Dispute Settlement System. Presenter: Dr Chantal Ononaiwu, Office of Trade Negotiations, The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat

The CPA Masterclasses reflect the unique strength of the CPA with its access to peer-to-peer learning and networking across the Commonwealth. The CPA Masterclasses strengthen parliamentary performance by taking advantage of the distinguished experience and vast knowledge of Parliamentarians and the parliamentary strengthening community to which the CPA is connected.

If you are a Member of Parliament or Parliamentary Clerk with an area of expertise and are interested in delivering a CPA Masterclass then please contact the CPA Headquarters Secretariat via hq.sec@cpahq.org.