The Office of Public Leadership provides leadership and management training, mentoring and other learning opportunities for elected and appointed government officials, primarily at the local level. The Office also serves in a consulting role for units of government interested in improving their leadership education and in other matters of policy and procedure. Many of these programs are conducted in partnership with associations representing officials at various levels of local government throughout the state.

The Office of Public Leadership conducts leadership training programs in partnerships with such organizations as the United Counties Council of Illinois.  The Office also has established an alliance of mayors of communities along Interstates 74 and 72 in central Illinois, which works to bring municipal governments along the two highways closer to the research faculty of the University of Illinois.

Major OPL programs are as follows:

• The University of Illinois Leadership Academy is an advanced curriculum for local government officials, focused on leadership thinking. The Symposium, using case studies and simulations to examine current policy issues, will challenge complacency and stimulate the participant to consider alternatives.
  
• Leadership development programs for county board members, county officials and township officials across the state.