On 21 November 2025, the European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) held its Steering Committee (SC) meeting in Brussels, focusing on organizational renewal, membership development, and preparations for upcoming annual conferences, in particular the 2026 conference in Rome. Chaired by EGPA President Prof. Dr. Sabine Kuhlmann, the Committee reviewed progress since the Group’s 50th anniversary in 2025 and set priorities for the years ahead.
Building on a period of strong engagement, including more than 900 submissions, 800 participants, and 45 countries represented across 30 tracks at 2025 Conference, EGPA is entering a new phase of renewal and strategic focus.
Reform Agenda and PSG Renewal Drive Institutional Modernization
A central theme of the meeting was the EGPA Reform Agenda, which seeks to update institutional structures and relations with IIAS (including clarification of governance processes and financial relations) as well as to enhance EGPA’s responsiveness to emerging issues in public administration. President Kuhlmann led an in-depth discussion on proposed changes and next steps:
“Today’s meeting marked an important step forward in sharpening EGPA’s strategic direction and advancing the reforms that will strengthen our community. Our reform agenda has been significantly inspired by the valuable suggestions shared by the PSG Chairs we surveyed. One tangible outcome of our activities during the first two months is the new EGPA Travel Grant, designed to support young scholars and PhD students by easing the financial burden of conference participation. We have also reduced fees for the Rome conference and introduced more flexible conference formats, including Ad Hoc Groups and Specialized Panels. New Permanent Study Groups on innovative research issues will enrich upcoming EGPA conferences. A joint IIAS/EGPA task force addresses key governance questions, such as EGPA membership, and the relationship between EGPA and IIAS. The Steering Committee’s dedication to this renewal effort sends a strong signal of EGPA’s readiness to lead the field into its next phase.”
A big topic of conversation was the Permanent Study Group (PSG) Renewal Strategy as the SC assessed which PSGs will continue unchanged, which require modernization, and which may be replaced. This renewal process reflects the rapid evolution of the field, with increasing attention to themes such as artificial intelligence in public administration, public sector innovation, public marketing and communication, migration, and wicked problems.
Deepening Engagement Through Global Dialogues, Outreach, and Membership
It is undisputed that the focus of EGPA activities continues to be on Europe and that the European perspective is central to EGPA’s strategic orientation. However, exchange within the global PA community remains an important strategic goal and interest of EGPA. Against this backdrop, the Steering Committee revisited EGPA’s portfolio of international dialogues — the Trans-European Dialogue (TED), the Trans-Atlantic Dialogue (TAD), the Mediterranean Dialogue (MED), the Latin American Center for Development Administration (CLAD), and the Portuguese-Speaking African Countries Dialogue (PALOP) — and explored ways to explore options of integrating some of these exchanges into the annual conference framework. Strengthening these links will reinforce EGPA’s role as a platform bridging academic and governmental communities across Europe, Latin America, the Mediterranean region, and Africa.
The Committee reviewed EGPA’s current membership, noting that 55 institutions are part of the network in 2025. Potential new members for 2026 were also considered, and several SC members proposed additional prospects, reflecting a growing interest in collaboration across the European community.
Participants also assessed ongoing improvements to EGPA’s communication strategy, including website enhancements, a stronger social media presence, and closer alignment between conference outputs and EGPA publications. Members stressed the importance of increased visibility and accessibility as EGPA embarks on this new chapter.
Preparing EGPA 2026 Conference and Planning Ahead
The Steering Committee received an update on preparations for the EGPA 2026 Conference in Rome, including the draft program, plenary themes, and fee structure. Looking beyond 2026, participants discussed potential hosts for the 2027 conference.
President Kuhlmann concluded the meeting by summarizing the next steps and outlining key deadlines for the months ahead. She emphasized that the discussions held throughout the day were instrumental in shaping EGPA’s strategic direction and reaffirming its commitment to renewal:
“Our community can expect EGPA to provide strong academic leadership, deepened international dialogue, and more opportunities for meaningful collaboration. I warmly invite colleagues across the continent to contribute to this renewed phase of our shared journey.”
With 50 years of legacy and being firmly established as the leading learned society for public administration in Europe, EGPA is now focused on consolidating its renewal efforts, strengthening partnerships, exploring exciting new ways forward and continuing to shape the evolution of public administration scholarship both regionally and globally.
