Trans-European Dialogue 2027

IIAS Engages in Key Academic Collaborations During South Africa Visit

Diogo Pereira,

In a week-long visit to South Africa spanning from November 20 to 27, the Director General of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS), Dr. Sofiane Sahraoui, actively engaged in various academic events, solidifying global partnerships and contributing valuable insights to ongoing discussions on public governance and accreditation.

One of the key highlights of Sahraoui's visit was his participation in a day-long workshop on accreditation at the University of South Africa (UNISA). The workshop served as a platform for stakeholders to delve into discussions on accreditation processes, emphasizing the vital role of maintaining high standards across academic institutions.

At the PAM@100 conference hosted by UNISA, Dr. Sahraoui took center stage by delivering a keynote address, focusing on the International Commission on Accreditation of Public Administration Education and Training (ICAPA) Standards of Excellence. His contribution added depth to the ongoing discourse surrounding the elevation of academic benchmarks on a global scale. The IIAS Director General also dedicated time to engaging with officials from the University of Pretoria, reflecting the commitment to resolving and enhancing the quality of academic programs.

Sahraoui's visit explored potential collaborations with South African universities, with visits to the University of Johannesburg and the University of the Free State. The primary focus was on evaluating these institutions as potential hosts for the 2024 and 2025 conferences of the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA).

"The visit not only strengthened ties with academic institutions in South Africa but also underscored IIAS's commitment to fostering global partnerships", stated Dr. Sahraoui. The proactive participation and involvement of IIAS in these events reflect the institute's dedication to improving public governance research, education, and practice worldwide. 

Public administration and management research has long drawn most of its ideas from Western, industrialised democracies. Yet Asia and the Global South have become major sites of administrative change, with large-scale reforms, fast-moving technology and some of the most inventive experiments in governance. Research from these regions has grown accordingly, but it is still often used to illustrate or apply theories made elsewhere, rather than to produce new ones.

This special issue of Public Management Review aims to change that. It invites authors to treat practice in Asia and the Global South as a starting point for theory: to test, question or extend established approaches, and to propose new concepts and explanations. It does not look for a single theory of these regions, which are far too diverse for that, but for context-sensitive contributions that also say something useful for policy and practice.

ASPA and EGPA call for papers | New Orleans, April 12-13, 2027 | Deadline: November 30, 2026

As democratic institutions face mounting pressure worldwide, public administrators are increasingly asked to spell out the role of their field in protecting and improving democratic systems. The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) and the European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) are responding with the 2027 Transatlantic Dialogue (TAD), held alongside ASPA’s Annual Conference.

The theme is The Role of Public Policy and Administration in Shaping Democracy and Promoting the Resilience of Democratic Norms and Institutions.

From 12 to 16 October 2026, the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA) held its Annual Conference in Athens, hosted by EKDDA, the National Centre for Public Administration and Local Government. Under the theme “Rethinking Governance for a Changing World”, the conference gathered 400 delegates from 57 countries and marked the 65th anniversary of the association. Athens was a conference grounded by learning and history but also new projects and connexions.

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