Panel Proposals
Call for Panel Proposals
Dear IRSPM members, colleagues and friends,
On behalf of the Scientific and Local Organising Committee for the 2026 Annual IRSPM Conference we cordially invite you to submit conference panel proposals.
Edith Cowan University’s School of Business and Law is proud to host IRSPM 2026 in Perth, Australia, from 8th - 10th April 2026. This conference marks the 20th anniversary of IRSPM—a significant milestone in our shared journey of advancing public management scholarship. We warmly welcome your participation in celebrating this occasion and contributing to the ongoing dialogue that defines our field.
The theme for 2026 is:
Beyond Boundaries: Wellbeing, Innovation and
the Future of Public Management
Conference theme
As we enter the second quarter of the 21st century, public administration and public sector workforces around the world are navigating profound challenges and opportunities—many with potentially existential implications. Over the past decade, we have witnessed the UK's departure from the European Union, the rising geopolitical and economic influence of countries including those in the BRICS group, and significant disruptions to public service funding in the United States, with ripple effects across other nations.
These developments are compounded by demographic shifts, such as aging workforces, and rapid digital transformation—each bringing complex implications for health, employment, taxation, and governance at local, national, and supranational levels.
Yet, public management scholarship continues to respond with creativity and insight. Emerging models of new public governance and integrated networks across public, private, civic, and non-governmental sectors offer promising pathways for managing resource constraints and enhancing public value. The growing emphasis on employee wellbeing—partly a legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasingly reflected in global legislation—invites a more nuanced conversation about public sector performance, sustainability, and impact.
At a macro level, the 2026 theme is both inclusive and aspirational. We aim to foster scholarship that not only addresses current challenges but also lays the groundwork for theoretical innovation and practical transformation in the decades ahead. We particularly encourage proposals that engage with the concepts of wellbeing and innovation in public management, and that seek to bridge traditional and emerging paradigms.
Submission Process
IRSPM follows a two-stage process for developing the conference programme:
- Call for Panel Proposals (current stage)
- Call for Abstracts (to follow)
We look forward to receiving your panel proposals and to welcoming you to Perth in 2026 for what promises to be a memorable and impactful conference.
Call for Panel Proposals
We invite panel proposals that engage with the 2026 Conference theme—Beyond Boundaries: Wellbeing, Innovation and the Future of Public Management—or that address other significant issues in public management, governance, or policy theory and knowledge. Proposals that are collaborative in nature, ideally with two or three co-chairs, are especially encouraged.
The Scientific Committee will evaluate proposals based on their scholarly contribution to the IRSPM community and their alignment with the overall coherence and diversity of the Conference programme.
This call is open to IRSPM Special Interest Groups (SIGs), as well as to any IRSPM member or affiliated colleague with compelling ideas for convening discussions that advance knowledge, share experiences, explore lessons learned, or introduce new methods and conceptual frameworks. Proposals may include both traditional and innovative panel formats.
While the final composition of panels will depend on the quality and focus of submitted abstracts, panel chairs are expected to give due consideration to gender and diversity balance—both in the selection of papers and in arrangements for chairing and moderating sessions.
In cases where panel proposals are similar or overlapping in scope, the Scientific Committee may request that proposers collaborate to form a consolidated panel, in the interest of programme coherence.
Responsibilities of Panel Chairs
Once accepted, panel chairs will be responsible for:
- Circulating a call for abstracts via the Conference website and their professional networks;
- Soliciting and reviewing abstracts in accordance with Conference guidelines and timelines;
- Making timely decisions on the acceptance or rejection of submissions;
- Providing constructive feedback to authors;
- Collaborating with the Local Organising Committee on the scheduling of sessions and, where appropriate, arranging discussants;
- Nominating one paper from their panel for the Best Paper Award;
- Ensuring effective chairing and moderation of all panel sessions during the Conference;
- Submitting a brief post-Conference evaluation.
We look forward to your proposals and to your contributions in shaping a dynamic and impactful IRSPM 2026.
Submission of Panel Proposals
The template below is designed to be copied, completed, and sent back to the scientific committee for consideration. You can also download the Application form at the botom of the page.
Submission is via email to IRSPM2026@ecu.edu.au
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Title of Panel |
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Names and Affiliation(s) of the Chair(s) and a contact email |
Name: Affiliation: Role: Email: Name: Affiliation: Role: Email: |
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Description of the panel topic |
No more than 500 words Introduce proposed topic, foreshadowing relevant theoretical framework(s) and acceptable methods. |
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Relevance to the field of public management and/or conference theme |
No more than 250 words What is the relevance of the panel to public management scholarship and/or the conference theme |
When
- The proposal for a panel should be submitted via email to IRSPM2026@ecu.edu.au by 7 July 2025 (you can click on the link below)
- Notification of accepted panels will be provided by 20 August 2025
- The call for paper abstracts will open on 16 September 2025
Scientific Committee
President
Professor Ileana Steccolini, University of Bologna (Italy) & University of Essex (United Kingdom)
Local Scientific Committee Chair
Professor Kerry Brown, School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University
Committee Members
Professor Adina Dudau, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
Professor Stephen Osborne, University of Edinburgh Business School, University of Edinburgh
Professor Robyn Keast, Southern Cross University
Professor Brian Head, School of Politcal Science and International Studies, University of Queensland
Professor Ben Farr-Wharton, School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University
Professor Ricardo Correa Gomes, Sao Paulo School of Business Administration, Fundacao Getulio Vargas
Professor Rona Beattie (ret), Glasgow Caledonian University
Professor Yvonne Brunetto, Southern Cross University
Christine Flynn, IRSPM Practice Panel and Consultant
Professor Karen Johnston, University of Portsmouth
Dr George Kominis, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
Dr Esme Franken, School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University
Dr Neda Kiani Mavi, School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University
Dr Aglae Hernandez Grande, School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University
Dr Fleur Sharafizad, School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan Universit