Trans-European Dialogue 2027

The European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) invites scholars and practitioners to propose new groups and initiatives for the EGPA 2027 Annual Conference, taking place at Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary, from 24 to 27 August 2027. The call welcomes proposals for three formats: Permanent Study Groups (PSGs), Ad Hoc Groups (AHGs) and Specialised Panels (SPs). EGPA looks forward to welcoming new initiatives, perspectives and research communities that will enrich its 2027 Annual Conference and contribute to the development of public administration research across Europe and beyond.

New Permanent Study Groups

Permanent Study Groups are a central pillar of the EGPA community, offering long-term platforms for developing research agendas, fostering academic exchange and building international research networks.

EGPA particularly welcomes proposals addressing topics that are not yet sufficiently covered by its existing groups. Suggested areas include EU Governance and Regulation, Financial Management, Public Ethics, Public Policy, Public Sector Performance, Public Communication and Media, Crisis Governance and Resilience, and Democratic Governance, Accountability and Trust.

Proposals should demonstrate a distinct thematic focus, a sustainable community of researchers and institutions, a committed team of co-chairs, and a multi-year vision for research, collaboration and academic outputs. Successful initiatives will initially be admitted as aspiring PSGs for a two-year development period.

Interdisciplinary and comparative approaches are encouraged, as are initiatives connecting academic research with professional practice and involving early-career researchers and underrepresented communities. Proposed groups should maintain a clear focus on European public administration while remaining open to international exchange.

Proposals should not exceed 2,000 words, excluding references.

Ad Hoc Groups and Specialised Panels

EGPA also welcomes proposals for Ad Hoc Groups and Specialised Panels, offering more focused and flexible formats for exploring emerging research areas and specific academic questions.

Ad Hoc Groups provide opportunities to test new ideas, develop collaborations and explore specialised or emerging topics over a limited period. Initiatives demonstrating strong engagement and long-term potential may eventually develop into aspiring PSGs.

Specialised Panels are focused conference sessions dedicated to particular research topics, policy challenges or administrative issues, enabling in-depth discussion among scholars with shared interests.

Proposals for either format should include an outline of no more than 500 words and the names, institutional affiliations and contact details of at least two supporting academics. The EGPA Steering Committee will assess submissions based on academic quality, originality, relevance to public administration, societal significance and their potential to connect with the European public administration community.

Researchers interested in proposing any of these formats may contact the EGPA Study Group Task Force for advice, feedback on draft proposals and assistance in connecting with potential collaborators.

Key dates and submission:

• 29 November 2026: Deadline for submitting proposals.

• 8 January 2027: Notification of review results.

• 21 February 2027: Deadline for accepted groups to submit their Calls for Papers.

Proposals and enquiries should be sent to EGPA Executive Secretary Dmytro Panchuk at egpa@iias-iisa.org

You can consult more detailed procedures and guidelines on the submission of proposals in the document attached below.