Public Governance Series

The EGPA 2023 Conference is set to convene its 45th annual event from September 5th to 8th, 2023, in Zagreb, Croatia. This years’ conference, hosted in Croatia for the first time, is a collaboration between European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) and the Faculty of Law at the University of Zagreb.

Under the theme of 'Steering European Union through Poly-Crises Storms: The Role of Public Administration', the event will gather over 500 participants, including global experts and scholars in the field of public administration. The event will unfold at the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology on Svetošimunska Street 23, promising a dynamic forum for insightful discussions and knowledge exchange. 

Diverse Engagement and Program Highlights 

The conference kicks off on September 5th with a symposium dedicated to Doctoral Students and Junior Researchers, nurturing the next generation of thought leaders in the field.  

The opening ceremony is scheduled for September 6th at 11 AM and will feature an address by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Andrej Plenković, followed by insightful speeches by Prof. Ivan Koprić, Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, and Prof. Jean-Michel Eymeri-Douzans, the President of EGPA. 

Immediately after the opening, an engaging panel discussion themed 'Steering through Poly-Crises Storms: How to improve the agility, resilience, and robustness of public administration' will take place. Moderated by Prof. Iris Goldner Lang, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, the panel will feature high-profile participants, including Dr. Marko Primorac, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Croatia, Deputy Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Kosovo, Dr. Bardhyl Dobra, representative of the European Commission, DG REFORM, Daniele Dotto, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to the UN, Prof. Ivan Šimonović, and representative of the University of Zagreb in the Student Board of the European University of Post-Industrial Cities (UNIC), Karlo Kožina. 

The second plenary session will be held on September 7th under the theme of 'The Public Administration Reform in Pre- and Post-Accession Periods'. Moderated by Assoc. Prof. Anamarija Musa, Vice Rector of the University of Zagreb, the session will feature speeches from prominent figures, such as the Minister of Justice and Public Administration of the Republic of Croatia, Dr. Ivan Malenica, the Minister of Public Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, Sanja Ajanović Hovnik, Prof. Polonca Kovač from the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, Prof. Maarten Hillebrandt from the Faculty of Public Administration, Utrecht University, the Netherlands, and Pieter Zwaan from Radboud University, the Netherlands. 

A Platform for Innovation and Collaboration 

EGPA 2023 Conference goes beyond plenary sessions with an array of panels, workshops, seminars, and study group sessions led by distinguished public administration experts. With more than 688 abstract submissions, this year's event underscores the significance of the conference in improving public administration research, education, and practice in a rapidly changing world.  

The conference proudly hosts sessions from the 23 EGPA Permanent Study Groups (PSGs), each dedicated to exploring distinct facets of public administration. These groups foster specialized discussions and collaborations among European and international scholars and practitioners.  

Participants are encouraged to download the EGPA 2023 Conference app, explore the conference program in detail and create personalized itineraries tailored to their specific interests. More information about all the sessions, including a list of submitted papers, can be found on the conference booklet.  

About EGPA 

Founded in 1975, the European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) is a platform fostering collaboration among European and global academics, researchers, practitioners, and young scientists in the realm of public administration. Operating under the International Institute of Administrative Sciences, EGPA facilitates intellectual dialogue through plenary debates, seminars, symposia, and workshops across its 23 Permanent Study Groups.