Public Administration and the Future of Democracy: Institutions, Innovation, and Public Value.
Hosted by the Department of Public Administration and Management, Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Babeș-Bolyai University.
The Department of Public Administration and Management at Babeș-Bolyai University hosts the 6th edition of TICPA, bringing together academics, researchers and practitioners from across the world to exchange ideas, share best practices and build lasting networks for teaching, research and capacity building.
TICPA 2026 invites scholars and practitioners to explore the evolving relationship between public administration and the functioning of democratic systems. Amid rising societal complexity, digital transformation and growing pressure on public institutions, the role of administration in sustaining democratic governance is more critical than ever.
Rather than treating democracy as a purely political concept, the conference focuses on its administrative foundations: the capacity of public institutions to deliver public value, ensure accountability, foster citizen engagement and maintain trust.
The conference offers a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue while remaining firmly anchored in public administration, encouraging contributions that bridge theory and practice. Papers presented will be considered for a conference volume, scheduled for publication by mid-2027.
We welcome contributions that examine how public administration can reinforce democratic governance across the following areas.
Quality of governance and administrative capacity
Transparency, accountability and integrity in the public sector
Citizen participation, co-production and public engagement
Digital governance and its implications for democratic processes
Multi-level governance and the role of local and regional authorities
Public service delivery and trust in institutions
Public sector innovation and evidence-based policymaking
Partnerships between public institutions, academia and society
A platform for the Hungarian-speaking academic and professional community to engage with the conference's core themes, fully aligned with the overall scope of TICPA 2026.
A special workshop for PhD students in public administration and connected fields. Participate with or without a paper, alongside lectures from international professors.
Full papers accepted for presentation in the main conference panels are published in a collective volume by Accent Publishing House, Cluj-Napoca. There is no publication fee.
A selection of papers from the main conference and pre-conference workshops is published the following year. The volumes cover a wide range of public administration topics.
The three sections of the conference are held at three venues of the College of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences — all within walking distance of each other and 15 minutes on foot from downtown and the main university building.
Cluj-Napoca International Airport (CLJ) sits 9 km east of the centre, with direct flights to Bucharest, Prague, Munich and Vienna (TAROM, Lufthansa, Austrian) and to Paris-Beauvais, London-Luton, Brussels-Charleroi, Eindhoven, Dortmund, Bergamo, Bologna, Rome, Treviso, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Zaragoza and Tel Aviv (Wizz Air).
Train connections reach most Romanian cities, including fast InterCity links to Oradea, Arad, Timișoara, Brașov, Sighișoara and Bucharest. On the Cluj–Oradea route, electrification works mean part of the journey is by bus transfer.
European road E60 links Cluj to Bucharest and Brașov (south), Oradea and Budapest (west) through Borș customs. E81 leads to Zalău and Satu Mare; E58 connects to Dej, Bistrița, Baia Mare and Vatra Dornei.
Reliable network — pay by SMS, MobilPay, or buy tickets and e-tickets from vending machines at most stops. Plan trips with Google Maps.
Relatively inexpensive (around $0.6/km). Most drivers speak a little English.
Bolt operates in Cluj-Napoca with fares slightly below taxis, though cars can occasionally be harder to find.
Pandurilor Street No. 7 (entrance from Plopilor Street), Cluj-Napoca. A limited number of rooms — comparable to a 3★ hotel — are available for international students and professors, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Other hotels near the centre & FSPAC
Cluj-Napoca, in north-western Romania and the country's second largest city, is the unofficial capital of Transylvania. It is home to 6 state and 3 private universities with over 60,000 students — Babeș-Bolyai University being the largest, with more than 40,000.
The university is named after two Transylvanian scientists, physician Victor Babeș and mathematician János Bolyai. Its hallmark is a multicultural character, offering programs in Romanian, Hungarian and German (and English, French and more).
Cluj has a vibrant nightlife, landmarks dating to Saxon and Hungarian rule, and a diverse, growing cultural scene across the visual and performing arts.
▶ Watch the Cluj-Napoca city filmA multicultural university city where 60,000 students, medieval landmarks and a fast-growing tech and cultural scene meet. Press play.
Local organizers
International organizing committee
Submit your details and abstract below. The conference team confirms your registration by email, usually within a few days.
Thank you — your details have reached the organizing team. See you in Cluj-Napoca!