The European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) is delighted to announce its highly anticipated Annual Conference, scheduled to take place from 3 to 6 September 2024 in Athens, Greece. Organized in close collaboration with the Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, the EGPA 2024 Conference promises to be a premier gathering of scholars, practitioners, and policymakers in Europe.

Under the overarching theme of "Strengthening Democratic Governance for Better Public Policies and Services," the conference will offer a rich program of plenary sessions, seminars, and interactive workshops. This year's event will provide a vital platform for exploring the multifaceted challenges and opportunities facing modern governance in an era of rapid technological advancement and shifting political landscapes.

“In our turbulent times when coexist a terrible democratic backsliding and ‘verticalization of power’ in some countries, with a strong demand in other countries for renewed democratization by more participative or deliberative democracy so as to “co-create” public policies, it is obvious and fundamental to focus our collective attention on the necessary protection and reinforcement of the democratic nature of our postmodern governance, policymaking and public services’ provision”, commented Prof Jean-Michel Eymeri-Douzans, EGPA President.

The conference will feature an array of thematic sessions held by the 23 EGPA Permanent Study Groups, the French-Speaking Seminar, our PhD Students and Junior Researchers Symposium, and ad hoc special panels arranged by our Greek and other European colleagues on a varied and complementary public governance topics, such as (but not limited to):

• Democracy and Public Administration;
• The “Executive State” at the core;
• The role of Independent Administrative Authorities;
• The Contribution of the Humanities to Public Administration;
• Public administrations and policies in the Green Transition era;
• Generative AI in the Public Sector;
• Public Sector Performance;
• Political governance systems and their implications for the provision of an effective, fair and accountable police service;
• The interplay between democratic governance structures and public sector organisations;
• Driving Impactful Change through Citizen Participation in Public Governance, Policies and Services;
• How strategic management can strengthen democratic governance and vice verso;
• Public policy design, evaluation and democratic quality.

To stimulate robust discussions and knowledge exchange, EGPA invites scholars, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to submit abstracts for paper presentations and panel discussions. Abstracts should align with one of the conference themes and address pertinent issues related to democratic governance, public administration, and policy formulation.

Interested participants can access the Call-for-Papers and Call-for-Panels links below. More calls-for-papers will be published soon.

Don't miss the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and practice in public administration and governance. Submit your abstracts and be part of the conversation shaping the future of democratic governance!