The 2021 Annual AAPA Conference was successfully held on 7th and 8th October 2021 bringing together participants from 30 countries from all the continents and featuring an impressive list of keynote speakers, addressants and panel discussions. The Conference was hosted by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) and was carried out in a hybrid format.

The main theme of the conference – “The Future of Public Administration in PostCOVID-19 Period: Addressing Unprecedented Challenges and Seizing New Opportunities” reflected the current globally felt need for strong public institutions, effective decision-making and innovative solutions which are critical for building and maintaining the capacity of national governments to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, mitigate its implications and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). 

The choice of the conference sub-themes was determined by the priority agenda of issues and challenges faced currently by the governments world over and comprised in particular: 

•  Public Healthcare Systems During Pandemic: Prospective Recipes for Effective Performance 

• Local Administration and Municipal Governance in the Times of Emergency 

• The Role of State in Crisis Management

• Digital State and E-Government as Innovative Emergency Instruments

• New Trends in Government and Society in post-COVID-19 Period 

• Provision of Public Services in Times of Crisis 

The opening plenary session was chaired by Professor Alexander Kochegura, AAPA Vice-President and featured welcome addresses from Professor Vladimir Mau, Rector of RANEPA; Professor Jiannan Wu, AAPA President; Professor Pan Kim, AAPA Ex-President, UN-ICSC Commission Member, ASPA International Director; Sofiane Sahraoui, Director General, International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS); William Shields, Executive Director, American Association of Public Administration (ASPA).

The list of Keynote Speakers, who delivered very interesting and insightful presentations during the Opening Plenary session, included world-renowned scholars Professor Guy Peters from Pittsburgh University; Professor Allan Rosenbaum from Florida International University, ASPA President; Professor Ali Farazmand from Florida Atlantic University, Editor-in-Chief of the Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy.

The two days of the conference incorporated 19 panel sessions providing a platform for an enriching exchange of views, experience and best practice of experts, scholars, practitioners and students from the Asian region and beyond. One of the highlights of the second day of the conference was a Presidents’ Panel entitled “Covid-19 Pandemic: Crisis, Governance, Transformation and the New Normal” chaired by Professor Jiannan Wu, AAPA President and featuring enlightening talk and presentations of AAPA Ex-Presidents – Professor Akira Nakamura, Professor Anthony Cheung, Professor Pan Kim and Professor Alex Brillantes.

The Closing Plenary session chaired by Professor Alexander Kochegura, Professor Akira Nakamura and Professor Alex Brillantes provided an opportunity to assess the preliminary results and impact of the conference and to hold the Ceremony of Akira Nakamura Best Paper Award. On behalf of the AAPA 2021 Conference Organizing Committee Professor Alexander Kochegura expressed sincere gratitude to the leadership of RANEPA, AAPA Secretariat and all participants of the forum for their contribution to the success of the conference.