2026 Annual Conference of the Asian Association for Public Administration

Call for Papers

Rethinking Asian Public Administration in a Fragmented World: Inclusion, Resilience, and Sustainability

The 2026 Annual Conference of the Asian Association for Public Administration

October 29–30, 2026

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

The Asian Association for Public Administration (AAPA) is a leading organization in the field of public administration in Asia and beyond. For more than a decade, its annual conferences have served as a premier forum for scholars, students, and practitioners to engage in scholarly exchange, present innovative research, and disseminate best practices. The Nanyang Centre for Public Administration (NCPA) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in collaboration with the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University as co-organizer, is pleased to host the 2026 AAPA Annual Conference from October 29 to 30 in Singapore.

Conference Theme

The world is becoming increasingly fragmented and contested amid rising geopolitical tensions. Asia, with its close connectivity within the region and to the world, is both affected by and actively exercising agency within a complex and changing global environment. Asian states have shown initiative in responding, adapting, and striving through volatile times. What remains at the core of Asian public administration, both theoretically and practically, in navigating the turbulent waters? How can Asian governments maintain inclusive, resilient, and sustainable approaches in facing mounting challenges? What unresolved issues continue to confront Asian states? How do Asian states interact with governments from other regions? It is important to critically consider the historical experiences and future trajectories of public administration in the region and explore state engagements within and beyond the region.

To further scholarly solutions to the aim, the conference will invite discussions from scholars, researchers, and practitioners in the field on the theme of “Rethinking Asian Public Administration in a Fragmented World: Inclusion, Resilience, and Sustainability”. The conference welcomes contributions that reassess the development of public administration in Asia and beyond, draw insights from experience, and address evolving governance challenges with original ideas. Submissions may adopt diverse theoretical, empirical, or practice-based approaches, using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods. Proposals for organized panels are also encouraged.

Conference Tracks

The conference invites contributions that explore diverse dimensions of public administration in Asia and beyond. Topics of interest span a broad spectrum of themes, including, but not limited to, the following areas:

• Governance and delivery of public services and welfare programs
• Public investment, fiscal management, and financial governance
• Political institutions, policymaking, and policy implementation
• Transformation, innovation, and reform in the public sector
• Risk governance, public security, and crisis management
• Environmental governance and administrative responses to climate challenges
• Sustainable development and governance strategies
• Digital governance, including big data analytics and artificial intelligence
• Comparative public administration and global governance perspectives
• Teaching, training, and leadership capacity-building in public administration
• All other relevant research on comparison, cooperation, interaction, or even competition in Asian and non-Asian contexts.

Submission Guidelines

Submission Link:
Please submit your abstracts via https://www.conftool.net/aapa-2026

Panel Proposal:
For authors who wish to propose a panel session, please contact the conference organizing committee at [email protected] and submit your panel proposal via the online submission system by May 31, 2026.

Paper Session:
We welcome abstract submissions via the online submission system with a submission deadline of May 31, 2026. Abstract submissions must be written in English and limited to 500 words. Notification of acceptance will be issued to authors of selected abstracts by July 31, 2026.

Conference Best Paper Award:
The conference will confer on a Best Paper Award to acknowledge exceptional scholarly contributions. All submissions will undergo review by a panel of distinguished scholars, who will determine the award recipients. Authors wishing to be considered must submit a complete manuscript by September 1, 2026, and clearly indicate their intent during submission. Award recipients are expected to complete conference registration and present their work at the event.

Important Dates

May 31, 2026:                      Panel submission deadline 
May 31, 2026:                      Abstract submission deadline
July 31, 2026:                       Author notification of acceptance
September 1, 2026:          Early-bird registration deadline
September 1, 2026:          Full paper submission deadline for Best Paper Award
September 30, 2026:       Registration deadline
September 30, 2026:       Full paper submission deadline
October 29-30, 2026:     Main conference

The conference will be held in person at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Further information about the venue, transportation, and accommodation options will be provided soon.

Contact

AAPA 2026 Annual Conference Organizing Committee

Email: [email protected]