Trans-European Dialogue 2027

IIAS Takes Center Stage in Influential Global Forums in China

Diogo Pereira,

The International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) has been actively engaged in various influential global forums held in China over the past month. Dr. Sofiane Sahraoui, Director General of IIAS, played a key role in fostering international collaborations within the realm of public administration through a series of impactful discussions.

A standout moment during Dr. Sahraoui's visit was his participation in the prestigious Shanghai Forum, an annual event hosted by Fudan University. Delivering a keynote address titled "Arab Public Administration and its State of Reform," he shared insights on the challenges and advancements in the Arab public administration sector.

Continuing his involvement, Director General Sahraoui took center stage at the Global Cities Forum organized by Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The Forum's theme, "Financing A Sustainable Future for All," strongly resonated with IIAS's commitment to advancing administrative sciences in alignment with global sustainability goals.

Dr. Sahraoui also participated in the Inter-civilization Communication and Global Development Forum, hosted by the China National Academy of Governance. This gathering, attended by around 150 distinguished political leaders, entrepreneurs, and scholars from approximately 30 countries, aimed to promote sustainable development and pave the way for a peaceful world governance order with mutual benefits.

Reflecting on the significance of his visit, Dr. Sahraoui remarked, "These forums provided a unique platform to exchange ideas, share best practices, and strengthen global partnerships. The challenges we face today are complex and interconnected, requiring collaborative efforts and innovative solutions. IIAS remains committed to contributing to these vital discussions and working towards a more sustainable and inclusive world."

IIAS extends gratitude to the organizers of the Shanghai Forum, Global Cities Forum, and the Inter-civilization Communication and Global Development Forum for providing platforms for these meaningful discussions. These engagements further solidify IIAS's commitment to advancing public governance research, education, and practice.

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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