Description

Good governance has been an increasingly important topic both in research and policy since the early 2000s, reinforced by the rise of governance challenges that are brought about by aging population, economic downturn, climate change, deglobalization, regional conflicts, and the global pandemic. Since the end of 2019, the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the topic of good governance into much sharper focus, both as a matter of policy and societal interest.

Indeed, in the last two years since the pandemic began, there has been overwhelming evidence that countries with apparently stable governance systems (e.g. clearly communicated and systematically planned public health policy protocols with the overall cooperation by various government and non- public stakeholders) have been able to curb the spread of the virus within their borders with lower social and economic costs. On the other hand, countries with relatively poor/weak public health systems are facing difficulties in controlling the multi-waves of COVID-19 due to new variants. Some countries even could not provide adequate quarantine facilities or hospital beds for patients with severe symptoms.

These examples demonstrate that good governance is crucial to the effective functioning of both government institutions and consequently, the life outcomes of its populations (e.g. health standards, access to medical care, economic livelihoods etc.), particularly during global crises like the current global pandemic. Therefore, this pandemic has significantly underscored the importance of good governance in all its forms (e.g. conception, operationalization etc.) in the post-pandemic environment.

Against this backdrop, the 2021 Lien International Conference on Good Governance organised by The Nanyang Centre for Public Administration (NCPA) of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in collaboration with the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS), Civil Service College Singapore and the Stratagem Group, will gather local and international academics, practitioners and researchers to examine major issues in governance, public service delivery and evaluation. The theme this year on “Good Governance in the Post COVID-19 World” is a call for academics and practitioners from various fields and around the world to come together to deliberate how to navigate businesses and society in the new normal as COVID-19 becomes endemic and towards global economic recovery. Theoretical, empirical, and comparative studies on all important aspects of governance in different countries and region are solicited, for the following broad themes but not limited to the suggested topics:

Politics and International Affairs: 1. Trade Policy and Global Value Chains; 2. Foreign investments and the impact on domestic economy and public governance; 3. Regional Integration – ASEAN and Regionalis; 4. Geopolitics of the Asia-Pacific; 5. Politics and Global Health Policy; 6. Models of Global Power Relations

Innovation in Public Administration and Policy: 1. Nomological network of public governance; 2. Smart Nation and Digital Transformation; 3. Policy Innovation and Diffusion, Labs and Design Thinking; 4. PPP, co-production, Co-governance and Hybrid Governance; 5. Evidence-based Policy Development and Evaluation; 6. Policy responses to the global pandemic; 7. Risk, Security, Pandemic Management

Trade, Aviation, Tourism and Economic Recovery: 1. Digital Trade, Block chain, AI technology for Post-COVID Recovery; 2. Maritime and Supply Chain Management and Restructuring; 3. Reconstruction and Restructuring of the Tourism/ Aviation Sector; 4. Subsidies, bailouts for fiscal sustainability; 5. Restoring investment climate and reviving growth 

Sustainable, Inclusive Development and Natural Resource Management: 1. Climate Change and Sustainable Green Urban development; 2. Environmental Threats and Natural Disaster Management; 3. Food Security and Food Supply Resilience; 4. Green Financing of Infrastructure Developments; 5. Poverty alleviation and Inclusive Development; 6. Philanthropy, Non-Profit and Social Management

Knowledge Transfer, Higher Education and Talent Strategies: 1. Migration and Social Integration; 2. Ageing Population and Skills Re-Development; 3. Impact of Pandemic on Higher Education Institutions; 4. Leadership and Talent Management – Post Pandemic; 5. Public Service Leadership; 6. Public personnel and state capacity building