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17 Dec 2025 | New publication - We are proud to announce the publication of the by Wouter Van Dooren, Geert Bouckaert, and John Halligan (Routledge, 2026). This fully revised edition provides a comprehensive exploration of performance management in the public sector, incorporating nearly 200 new references from the latest decade of performance management research. Moving beyond the traditional New Public Management paradigm, the book critically examines how performance measurement, incorporation, and use can be purposefully designed to enhance public management and governance. With a strong didactical focus, it offers guidance on designing performance management systems that align with contemporary challenges and policy needs. The book continues to bridge theory and practice, drawing on comparative insights and real-world cases from across administrative systems. The third edition further consolidates the book’s position as a core reference for students, researchers, and professionals seeking to design functional performance management systems.

16 Dec 2025 | Dirk De Bièvre on the  in Terzake on VRT Canvas (in Dutch).

16 Dec 2025 | Dirk De Bièvre on the in De Ochtend on Radio 1 (in Dutch).

15 Dec 2025 | Marijn Hoijtink on the in Terzake on VRT Canvas (in Dutch).

24 Nov 2025 | New article on "", authored by Jakob Frateur and Patricia Popelier, published in The Theory and Practice of Legislation.

• Abstract: For many years, scholars have been debating the extent to which governments can deviate from law-making procedures in times of crisis. There is a fairly large consensus that some flexibility in the application of laws is necessary or desired in exceptional times, like crises, to enhance effectiveness. We want to put the assumption to the test according to which efficiency concerns trump legality concerns in times of crisis. More specifically, we ask how citizens perceive law-making procedures in times of crisis, and how this might affect their political trust, which is often associated with citizens’ compliance with crisis measures. To answer these questions, we analyse unique survey data on citizens’ legality perceptions and trust obtained in six EU member states, provide a typology of emergency responses based on the efficiency vs. legality balance, and perform a comparative analysis of the legal response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium and Austria. Our analysis also leads us to an inevitable discussion of the role of courts in times of crisis. This paper thus aims to contribute to the literature on legality as a criterion in crisis governance, particularly compared to the more often-cited criterion of efficiency.​

3 Nov 2025 | On 3 November 2025, the Federal Public Service Policy and Support (FOD BOSA) hosted a new edition of the Federal Topcommunity, a recurring event that brings together top managers from across the federal government. Inspired by the recently published Handbook on Trust in Public Governance (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2025), this edition focused on “Trust in Public Governance: Academic Insights and Practical Challenges for the Federal Government”. The event, organised in collaboration with the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence, explored how trust shapes public governance and created an open dialogue between academic insights and the practical realities of the federal government. The programme combined presentations, breakout discussions, and a concluding panel debate. Contributions came from Koen Verhoest, Frédérique Six, Esther van Zimmeren, Peter Bursens, Patricia Popelier, and Steven Van de Walle - all renowned for their expertise in governance and trust. The discussions highlighted that building and maintaining trust is not a one-time effort but a continuous process that requires openness, consistency, and collaboration. As one of the key takeaways, participants underlined the importance of co-creation and mutual learning to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy practice.

28 Oct 2025 | Cedric Jenart on in De Tijd (in Dutch).

15 Oct 2025 | On October 15th, 2025, the STRATEGO Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence - in collaboration with the Faculty of Social Sciences and the FSW Lecture series - organised an FSW/STRATEGO signature lecture with Philippe Lamberts on "Keeping the Green Deal on the Agenda in Turbulent Times". It was an honour to have Mr. Philippe Lamberts, principal advisor to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, as keynote speaker. Mr. Lamberts addressed the challenges and prospects of keeping the green agenda (Green Deal) high on the Commission’s and EU’s agenda in times of external security and trade challenges, competitiveness concerns and shifting priorities and power balances in the European Parliament and Council.​

1 Oct 2025 | The congress "Democratic Renewal under Pressure", organised by the University of Antwerp and the Hannah Arendt Institute, took place. During this inspiring afternoon it was explored how interdisciplinary collaboration, research, and valorisation can foster democratic renewal. Keynotes were held as well as a panel discussion on how academics can contribute to democratic renewal under pressure. Patricia Popelier participated in this panel discussion alongside Peter Van Aelst, Marnix Beyen, Marlies De Munck, Mieke Vandenbroucke, Tim Engels and Guy De Pauw. 

30 Sep 2025 | New publication "" published in IEEE Conference Proceedings for the 2025 25th International Conference on Control Systems and Computer Science (CSCS), authored by Cosima Rughiniș, Ștefania Matei, and Andreas Corcaci.

• Abstract: This study examines the methodological implications of using large language models (LLMs) as research assistants in coding and qualitative content analysis. We compared how ChatGPT-4o and Gemini 2.0 perform when independently coding and extracting content from university generative AI policies according to a framework of ten "vocabularies of AI competence." Our dataset comprised official AI guidelines from 33 leading global universities. Quantitative analysis of inter-coder reliability indicated significant variation across conceptual categories, with high convergence for vocabularies related to academic integrity and information accuracy, but divergence in detecting other concepts such as AI dependency. Qualitative comparisons of extraction outputs demonstrated methodological trade-offs between models, with ChatGPT-4o providing fewer but contextually richer extractions versus Gemini 2.0's more numerous but briefer quotations. These findings have important considerations for researchers employing LLMs in qualitative analysis: domain-specific reliability assessment, complementary multi-model approaches to balance analytical depth and breadth, and acknowledgment of model-dependent dataset composition.
  

29 Sep 2025 | Patricia Popelier on a in De Standaard (in Dutch).

25 Sep 2025 | New article on "", authored by Susana Coroado and Jakob Frateur, published in Public Management Review.

• Abstract: This article investigates how citizens’ perceptions of procedural transparency impact political trust during crises, using COVID-19 as a test case. It focuses on individual perceptions rather than actual government transparency, emphasizing the decision-making process over the inputs or outputs of decisions. The study aims to contribute to the debate by examining the extent to which citizens value decision-making transparency during crises, how they have perceived transparency during crisis management, and the latter’s impact on political trust by employing a survey of six European countries. The findings suggest a strong relationship between procedural transparency and trust, with citizens ranking transparency as the key value in crisis management.
  

17 Sep 2025 | The  and the , in collaboration with the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence, at the University of Antwerp have held a seminar on Networks in Public Administration and Policy with esteemed guest  (University of Central Florida). In his engaging lecture, Prof. Kapucu has discussed how public administration questions can be tackled through network approaches. Particularly inspiring were the example of how to construct an Affiliation Network and the insights into systemic resilience.

16 Sep 2025 | Lisa De Roeck led a workshop on arts-based research methods in the Creative Advanced Socio-legal Research Methods and Methodologies Training organised at ��������Ƶ's Faculty of Law. This three-day training offered early-career legal scholars a unique opportunity to engage with advanced socio-legal research methods and methodologies. It responds to a gap in methodological training within Flemish law faculties and aimed to strengthen interdisciplinary approaches to legal research. Participants explored innovative methodological approaches - including participatory and creative methods - through expert-led keynotes and interactive workshops.

12 Sep 2025 | The GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence co-organised the 2025 - European Policy for Intellectual Property Association on "Turning IP Ambitions into Action: Creating Connections, Collaborations, and Communities". The conference took place from Wednesday 10 to Friday 12 September 2025. During the conference, Esther van Zimmeren was elected as the new EPIP president 2025-2026.

4 Sep 2025 | On 4 September 2025, we organised the MIGLOBA x GOVTRUST workshop and symposium on administrative limbos and racialised citizens. In this cross-over event between migration studies and public administration, we zoomed in on the question of how racialised citizens can become stuck in liminality and what the impact of such experiences is. In recent years, multiple studies have explored how asylum seekers and refugees may find themselves in conditions of limbo, characterised by waiting that can last years, as well as a suspension of time associated with the permanence in liminal areas, such as camps and other border zones. However, research has increasingly suggested that limbo-like situations are not limited to migration affairs. Limbo seems to be part of the everyday life for many groups of citizens when engaging with bureaucratic systems. Especially, individuals belonging to ethnic minorities, migrants and racialised citizens are disproportionally confronted with delays over missing documents, administrative exceptions and racially targeted burdens. The event is hosted by Bjorn Kleizen (GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence) and Milena Belloni (MIGLOBA).

4 Sep 2025 | On 3-4 September 2025, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners gathered in Brussels to reflect on the key findings from the and to look ahead to the future of crisis management. The final conference marked the close of a 3-year journey in which LEGITIMULT examined how federal and multilevel systems respond to crises while maintaining democratic legitimacy, effective coordination, and public trust. Within LEGITIMULT, the GOVTRUST team (Patricia Popelier, Peter Bursens, Jakob Frateur) investigated the impact of governments’ Covid-19 measures at different levels on citizens’ trust in governments.
Are you interested in understanding how to approach crisis management in a legitimate and effective way? The LEGITIMULT consortium has developed a comprehensive , which offers six lessons exploring key topics such as crisis measures, governance models (federal or unitary), the role of experts in crisis situations, the inclusion of minorities, trust-building, and effective socio-economic responses to crises. The e-learning course is available in English, French, Croatian, Italian, German, and Spanish. Each lesson is delivered by a researcher from the LEGITIMULT consortium and includes interactive elements such as quizzes and summaries. The course is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of crisis management, grounded in the latest research and tailored to contemporary challenges.

2 Sep 2025 | New article on , authored by Cecilie Sachs Olsen, Krzysztof Janas, Lisa De Roeck, Barbara Koole, Cato Janssen, Merlijn van Hulst and Celine Motzfeldt Loades, published in Urban Studies.

• Abstract: This paper explores how agonistic conflict can be made productive for urban governance by means of applied theatre. Discussing the development and implementation of Urban Drama Labs in the cities of Drammen (Norway), Gdynia (Poland), Tilburg (the Netherlands) and Genk (Belgium), the paper introduces three analytic principles for understanding the potential of applied theatre to put agonistic planning into practice: estrangement enables new perspectives on the conflict at hand by defamiliarising what is taken for granted; embodiment foregrounds the role of multiple senses, emotions and affect to stir engagement in conflictual situations; and entanglement moves beyond static oppositions by foregrounding how interests, roles and identities are woven together. While acknowledging the challenges of integrating Urban Drama Labs in planning in terms of navigating tensions between contingency and predictability, trust and control in procedural settings, the paper proposes new pathways for advancing agonistic approaches in participatory urban governance.
  

22 Aug 2025 | From 18 to 22 August 2025, the summer school on Inter- and Transdisciplinary Research (ITDR) took place at the University of Antwerp. The ITDR summer school aims to train researchers and research support staff to become an expert in interdisciplinarity. The format is a 5-day intensive and interactive course, based on theoretical insights in the process of creating interdisciplinary research and how to apply these insights in practice. As co-promoter/sponsor of the ITDR summer school, Esther van Zimmeren shared her experiences with interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects. In connection with the workshop on art-based techniques, she highlighted the on 'Conflict in Transitions' and particularly its use of .

14 Aug 2025 | New blog post by Andreas Corcaci to The Loop titled "", where he shares some insights and results from his MSCA fellowship project.

31 Jul 2025 | New article on "", authored by Patricia Popelier, published in Publius: The Journal of Federalism.

• Abstract: Is the principle of loyalty, the duty of governments to consult, cooperate, assist, and support one another, inherent to federal systems? Scholars disagree. This article aims to disentangle this debate by arguing that all federal systems are defined not by a principle of loyalty, but by a broader principle of cohesion, through which all tiers of government in a system are linked together. While the principle of cohesion is inherent in all federal systems, variations in cohesion and autonomy can produce different levels of loyalty. Systems with high levels of cohesion are also likely to provide a strong legal basis for a loyalty principle. Loyalty is, thus, a legal principle that follows from cohesion, but it is not an essential feature of federal systems.

30 Jul 2025 | New open access article on "", authored by Jacob Torfing, Tina Bentzen, Tiziana Caponio, Susana Coroado, Scott Douglas, Steven Nõmmik, Tiina Randma-Liiv, Chiara Russo, Eva Sørensen, and Koen Verhoest, published in Public Administration.

• Abstract: New research argues that robust governance based on flexible adaptation and proactive innovation is needed in order to uphold core public functions, purposes, and values in times of societal turbulence. However, we have limited knowledge of the conditions for enhancing robust governance. To fill that knowledge gap, we ask: How can multi-level governance, hybrid governance, and societal intelligence contribute to the development of robust responses to the proliferation of complex and turbulent problems? To answer this pertinent question, we draw on relevant literatures to conceptualize each of the three governance factors and develop a set of theoretically derived conjectures about their impact on robust governance. We also discuss the combined effects of the three governance factors as well as the limits to robust governance. Finally, we draw some lessons for practitioners and sketch out an agenda for further research.
  

17 Jul 2025 | We are proud to share that our colleague Rik Joosen was awarded a prestigious Veni Grant by  for groundbreaking research on the role of interest groups in regulatory compliance. The grant will fund four years of research and will be conducted at the Institute of Public Administration at (Netherlands). We congratulate Rik on this outstanding achievement and look forward to the exciting research that will follow!

• Project summary: Interest groups play a key role in how companies relate to laws and regulations, for instance by giving them advice or even by stimulating a certain approach to compliance. Choosing the right strategy requires interest groups to balance the support from the companies they represent with support from citizens and policymakers who want them to commit to societal goals. This project assesses how interest groups navigate this balancing act. The results show in what way interest groups try to affect how their members relate to laws and regulations and under what conditions interest groups pursue different strategies with that aim.
  

2 Jul 2025 | Stéphanie De Somer and master student Matthias Vangenechten on the  in De Standaard (in Dutch).

18 Jun 2025 | Koen Verhoest's paper "" was nominated for the Award for Best Article at the Journal of Trust Research (2023-2025). The paper was co-authored with Dominika Latusek-Jurczak , Frédérique Six, Libby Maman, Yannis Papadopoulos, Rachel Schomaker, and Jarle Trondal, and a result from the TiGRE project.

• Abstract: The relationship between trust and distrust in public governance is still an open question. In the literature, three different perspectives on how trust and distrust are related are intensively debated: (1) trust and distrust as two ends of the same conceptual continuum; (2) trust and distrust as opposites, but with neutral ground in between; and (3) trust and distrust as related, yet distinct concepts. Employing a new measure for distrust and by using perceptual data on trust and distrust in regulatory agencies from multiple types of stakeholders in nine countries and three sectors, this article shows that high trust and high distrust can co-exist at the same time, and that trust and distrust are negatively correlated only to a limited extent. Moreover, while trustworthiness correlates strongly with trust, trustworthiness does not or only weakly correlate with distrust in a negative way. These findings are robust even when controlling for respondents' characteristics, different types of stakeholders, sectors and countries. This suggests that in public governance settings trust and distrust should be considered as distinct concepts, and the article calls for more research into the distinctiveness of the measurement, causes and effects of distrust, compared to trust.
  

17 Jun 2025 | Visiting researcher Sen Lin presented his work in a PPG x GOVTRUST x STRATEGO research seminar. Sen Lin is one of the visiting researchers supported by the STRATEGO Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence. From May until November 2025, he is hosted by the Politics & Public Governance research group and the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence under the supervision of prof. Koen Verhoest. In the PPG x STRATEGO research seminar, Sen presented his research on "Trust and distrust in government: The interactive effect on public service coproduction".

• Abstract: Citizens’ trust in government is critical for public service coproduction. However, previous studies show conflicting results of the relationship between trust in government and coproduction willingness. This study proposes that the issue may be cause by different understandings of “trust in government”. It adopts a dualistic perspective on trust and distrust to explore how trust/distrust in government and their interplay affect coproduction willingness. Based on four typical coproduction scenarios in urban governance, this study collected 2394 valid responses from urban residents in China via an online survey. The results indicate that trust in government shows a significantly positive relationship with coproduction willingness in all scenarios. By contrast, distrust in government also shows a positive relationship with coproduction willingness, but the impact is slighter than that of trust. Moreover, the positive impact of trust on coproduction willingness decreases as the level of distrust increases. Distrust does not undermine the role of high trust; rather, it can to some extent serve as an alternative motivation for low-trust citizens to coproduce, thereby narrowing the gap in coproduction willingness between low-trust and high-trust citizen. The findings provide a nuanced understanding of the relationship between (dis)trust in government and coproduction willingness and help explain why some citizens, even without distrusting the government, are still unwilling to participate in coproduction. Based on citizens’ levels of trust and distrust, a typology of coproducer is developed to inform future research.
  

16 Jun 2025 | New article on "", authored by Martino Maggetti, Koen Verhoest, Jarle Trondal, Dominika Proszowska & Rahel Schomaker, published in Journal of European Public Policy - available in open access.

• Abstract: This article focuses on trust dynamics across levels of governance in European regulatory regimes, making three contributions. First, it theorises trust relationships in multilevel political orders, by extending and adapting the congruence hypothesis originally developed to explain citizens’ trust in European Union (EU) institutions. Second, it outlines a novel dataset derived from an original survey collected in nine European countries and three sectors: data protection, finance, and food safety. This unique dataset enables an in-depth examination of previously underexplored multilevel trust dynamics of regime actors and the investigation of hypotheses regarding the underlying mechanisms. Third, our findings empirically validate the congruence hypothesis: the perceived trustworthiness of core national regulatory agencies is positively associated with trust in EU-level bodies. Furthermore, our study shows that congruence dynamics are stronger for central regime actors compared to peripheral ones. Sectoral patterns are also highlighted: As expected, congruence dynamics are weaker in recently established regulatory regimes, such as data protection, compared to more institutionalised sectors like finance and food safety. Lastly, congruence is notably stronger for actors from non-EU countries, aligning with our expectations regarding the influential role of heuristics.
  

6 Jun 2025 | Bastiaan Redert presented at the  in Brussels on “EU Equality and Anti-Discrimination Policy”. Bastiaan Redert led a session on "Navigating LGBTQ+ rights protection in times of increased hostility". The Trans European Policy Studies Association, or TEPSA, is the first European affairs research network. Via their pan-European network comprising 49 leading research institutes in 37 European countries, they bridge the gap between research, policy-making, and citizens.

4 Jun 2025 | Michel Walrave on the and the need for 'digi points' in Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch).

30 May 2025 | Peter Bursens contributed to the  on "Formal and Informal Intergovernmental Relations", taking place 27-30 May at the Institute for Comparative Federalism, Eurac Research in Bolzano, Italy. Peter's session was titled "Vertical coordination in federal systems applied to domestic EU coordination". IGCOORD is a COST Action that aims to generate new insights on how to organise and optimise institutions and processes of intergovernmental coordination. Peter Bursens is Management Committee member of IGCOORD, representing Belgium. 

28 May 2025 | New article on "", authored by Ixchel Pérez-Durán and Koen Verhoest, published in Public Management Review - available in open access.

• Abstract: What conditions contribute to building trust in services with high levels of opacity, information asymmetries, and vulnerable users? This study examines trust in nursing home service providers through a survey conducted in December 2022, targeting direct relatives of nursing home residents in Spain (n = 1,009). The study shows that the provision of substantive information, vertical control by public authorities, and active involvement of the residents’ relatives positively affect trust and its dimensions (benevolence, integrity, and competence). Greater involvement of families and authorities in overseeing these services can be seen as constructive collaboration that strengthens trust, rather than adversarial surveillance.
  

27 May 2025 | New article titled , authored by Rik Joosen in Regulation & Governance - available in open access.

• Abstract: This paper assesses what type of comments are most useful to what type of stakeholder in gaining influence during public consultations. Theoretically, the paper approaches stakeholders' consultation comments as reputational threats from key audiences that the agency needs to respond to. Different types of threats are expected to carry different weights depending on the type of stakeholders. The analysis is based on a dataset of 73,283 consultation comments left by stakeholders in EASA rulemaking consultations. The findings indicate that it matters what interests pose what kind of threat in regulatory rulemaking. Certain group types become more influential while others lose out when making specific kinds of threats. This extends our understanding of how stakeholders gain influence and what reputational threats are seen as credible by regulatory agencies.

25 May 2025 | Patricia Popelier wrote a short letter about the  in De Standaard (in Dutch).

22 May 2025 | New article on , authored by Bernardo Rangoni and Claudio M. Radaelli in Journal of European Public Policy.

• Abstract: Measuring regulation is a vital but contested task. Despite growing interest, most metrics are either rooted in ad hoc assumptions or shaped by international organisations’ priorities, rather than grounded in robust conceptual frameworks. We offer an original analysis of three analytical frameworks of public policy and regulation, and derive metrics from their foundational concepts. The Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework, rooted in institutional analysis, public administration, and political economy, sees rulemaking as the design of action situations. Legalisation, grounded in international law and relations, assesses the hardness of multi-level regulatory architectures through measures of obligation, precision, and delegation. The density-intensity approach, anchored in public policy analysis, measures regulatory content – namely, expansion or dismantling – as the result of policy decisions. We illustrate the distinct logics and metrics through a comparative application to EU regulation of credit rating agencies. Each framework sheds light on different aspects of regulatory change and offers unique advantages. Rather than advocating for a single framework, we argue for theory-grounded approaches and analytic pluralism. We conclude with guidance on when and how each framework can be usefully applied, supporting clarity in the use and design of metrics.

​16 May 2025 | New book on "", edited amongst others by Michel Walrave, published by Owl Press. 

• Description: Given that digital media permeate all aspects of human life, researchers are increasingly investigating related opportunities and risks. In the framework of Mediawijs, the Knowledge Center on Digital and Media Literacy, partners joined forces to help citizens in Flanders and Brussels use digital media actively, creatively, and critically. Since the start of the Knowledge Center in 2013, researchers from several institutions have been actively involved in the work of Mediawijs. This book offers an in-depth insight into the vibrant research on media literacy conducted in Flanders. Topical issues are discussed: fake news, digital rights, cyberbullying, sexting, online dating, gaming, gambling, digital media and vulnerable groups. The book also focuses on several literacies: data, news, science, advertising, social media, and privacy literacy.

13 May 2025 | New book chapter on "", authored by Bernardo Rangoni and Mark Thatcher as part of the Handbook of European Union Governance. 

• Abstract: This chapter argues that dominant characterisations of EU competition policy - whether emphasizing the neo-liberal centralization of powers that allegedly forecloses industrial policy or, conversely, the under-enforcement of these powers - overlook the gradual emergence of an ‘experimentalist’ architecture. We trace the development of this architecture - which co-exists with legally concentrated powers - in the vital case of state aid, beginning with the adoption of a Temporary Framework for state aid measures in 2008 and culminating in its latest transformation into the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework in 2023. We suggest that these state aid frameworks are temporary in name only. The rapid succession of distinct ‘temporary’ frameworks can be interpreted asreflect the gradual institutionalization of an experimentalist architecture - one that is recursively revised in response to unpredictable and rapidly unfolding crises. Furthermore, we argue that this architecture has served as a means for advancing key industrial policy goals, notably supporting Europe's small and medium-sized enterpreses and the long-term objective of the green transition. We conclude by offering wider implications for EU competition policy - a core part of the EU's economic governance, and a prime example for broader debates about European integration and policymaking.
  

10 May 2025 | Andreas Corcaci participated in the EUSA () conference, taking place 8-10 May 2025 in Philadelphia. He chaired the panel 'European and International Environmental Governance in the Nexus of Openness and Global Challenges'. In the panel, he presented results of his MSCA project and how concept structures and temporal configurational analysis can help make sense of the complex processes underlying reactions to decisions on environmental obligations beyond the nation state. As part of another panel on 'Politicizing and contesting European integration', he also presented methodological work on how time can be integrated into concept structures formally as a basis for temporally sensitive social research.

22 Apr 2025 | New article about "", authored by Jonathan Zeitlin and Bernardo Rangoni in Journal of European Public Policy - available in open access.

• Abstract: Across multiple policy domains, the EU increasingly faces the challenge of balancing uniform regulation in integrated markets with accommodating legitimate diversity among member states. Such uniform rules are crucial to preventing regulatory arbitrage, ensuring a level playing field, and fostering market integration. But diverse socio-economic conditions, institutional frameworks, and political preferences across member states demand adaptability in implementing these rules to maintain social acceptance. These contrasting pressures challenge familiar approaches to accommodating diversity such as differentiated integration, differentiated implementation, and experimentalist governance. In this paper, drawing on comparative analysis of four key regulatory domains – electricity, banking, pharmaceuticals, and competition – we argue that the EU is finding a promising solution to this widespread dilemma through a more tightly integrated experimentalist governance architecture, combining synchronic uniformity with diachronic revisability: uniform rules are applied across the EU, yet are developed and revised based on inclusive review of local implementation. This paper contributes to broader debates on EU governance by highlighting the advantages of this tighter experimentalist architecture over other approaches, showing how it ensures that uniform rules are also socially acceptable.

12 Apr 2025 | New article on "", authored by Jakob Frateur, Peter Bursens, Patricia Popelier & Susana Coroado (as part of the project), published in Comparative European Politics - available in open access.

• Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic gave a new impetus to the study of citizens’ political trust in times of crisis. Especially because trust is seen as an important precondition for citizens’ compliance with crisis measures, research into the determinants of citizens’ political trust became highly relevant. Contrary to trust research during previous crises, existing studies mostly focused on the beginning of the pandemic, when political trust increased in (almost) all EU countries, and less so on what happened after. Recently, this changed, and the aftermath of the increase gained more interest, but such research remains scarce and is mainly based on single country studies at the citizen level. We contribute to the existing literature by studying the decline in political trust between the summer of 2020 and the winter of 2021, when the pandemic peaked again. Through time-series qualitative comparative analysis, we study the (combinations of) conditions under which trust decreased in 28 European countries, including the increase over time in policy stringency and mortality, at the presence/absence of contestation and at the general level of trust in a country as conditions. We present three solution paths to explain the decline in trust which we study further in five in-depth case studies.

10 Apr 2025 | Peter Bursens participated in the “” media workshop. As part of the LEGITIMULT project, International IDEA organised a half-day workshop “Lessons from Covid-19 – Journalism in a Post-Pandemic Future” on 10 April at International IDEA HQ, Stockholm. Facilitated by Navdip Dhariwal, former BBC International Correspondent, this interactive workshop focused on key lessons and challenges from the pandemic and explored strategies for ethical, effective, and impactful reporting during crises. As journalism continues to evolve in the wake of Covid-19, the need for transparency, trust, and responsible crisis reporting has never been greater. How can journalists navigate misinformation, urgency vs. accuracy, and ensure government accountability in times of crisis? This timely workshop explored these challenges and discussed how journalists can be better prepared for future crises. During the workshop, Peter Bursens presented relevant findings from the LEGITIMULT project on Crisis, Governance and Trust.

​9 Apr 2025 | GOVTRUST and the ROBUST project at the 2025 Annual Conference of the International Research Society for Public Management () in Bologna (Italy). Amongst others, this year's conference included five panels on “how to navigate crises robustly”. There were some great discussions on crisis management and the role of governance in turbulent times with scholars from across the globe, widely sharing the experiences of turbulence and the challenges of navigating them. GOVTRUST's very own Wouter Van Dooren and Chaira Russo presented their work on how localities can foster robust governance, based on the case of school closures in Estonia, Belgium, and Italy.

28 Mar 2025 | New article titled "" authored by Jakob Frateur, Petra Meier and Peter Bursens, published in Gestión y Análisis de Políticas Públicas.

• Abstract: Objectives: In federal systems both the people as a whole (demos) and the statespeople (demoi) need to be represented, be it in a unicameral or bicameral set-up. In Belgium, this is increasingly debated, to the extent that the abolition of the second chamber is on the political agenda. What are the theoretical and empirical alternatives to organize representation in federal systems, and to what extent can they be applied to the Belgian federation? While literature on federal systems and most federations search for a more optimal representation of the demoi, Belgium is confronted with the opposite challenge: how to guarantee the representation of the demos in a set-up that favours representation of the demoi. Methodology: This is a theoretical and reflective text based on federalism theory and insights from, among others, EU studies. Results: In this article we argue that the solution to balance this representation can be both unicameral and bicameral. The crux in either is a change in the election of the parliamentarians representing the demos. This could be achieved by electing a part of the Chamber of Representatives through a nationwide, federal circumscription. Conclusions: The main take-away is the need to pay more attention to the representation of the demos at the federal level, especially in multi-level governance systems characterized by devolving tendencies.

26 Mar 2025 | We are pleased to announce the publication of the , edited by Frédérique Six, Joseph A. Hamm, Dominika Latusek, Esther van Zimmeren, and Koen Verhoest. This Handbook explores the transformative power of trust for relations within and between political, legislative, administrative, regulatory and judicial actors, as well as societal actors and citizens. Adopting a multi-actor and multi-level perspective, it highlights the centrality of functional trust and distrust in enhancing the resilience, effectiveness and legitimacy of current governance systems.

This comprehensive volume features multiple chapters co-authored by our very own GOVTRUST researchers, highlighting their significant contributions to the field.

•  authored by Latusek, D., Hamm, J. A., Beeck, S. O. de, Ropp, J., Six, F., Zimmeren, E. van, & Verhoest, K. [available in open access]
•  authored by Glavina, M., & van Zimmeren, E.
  
•  authored by Trondal, J., & Proszowska, D.
  
•  authored by Popelier, P., & Bursens, P.
•  authored by Verhoest, K., Redert, B., Maggetti, M., Levi-Faur, D., & Jordana, J. 
•  authored by Bentzen, T. Ø., Six, F., & Op de Beeck, S.

You can now buy the print edition, or access to a digital copy of the book, as well as download individual book chapters.

14 Mar 2025 | New article titled "Blue Nature-Based Solutions in marine and coastal EU policies: Challenges, recommendations and policy opportunities throughout the policy cycle", authored by Lise Frehen, Gianluca Ferraro, Pierre Failler published in Marine Policy.

• Abstract: The paper focuses on the use of Nature-based solutions (NBS) in European marine and coastal governance – also called marine or blue NBS. Such solutions appear to be promising tools to deal with interdependent challenges such as climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation and restoration, and sustainable development. Numerous research projects have demonstrated their utility and investigated the best ways to implement them. In addition, NBS are supported by international networks and agreements, and advocated by actors active at the international and European Union (EU) levels. However, blue NBS are mostly absent from EU policies (directives and regulations) and national, regional and local implementation of those policies. In this paper, barriers to the uptake of NBS at each step of the policy cycle are investigated: agenda-setting, policy formulation, decision-making, policy implementation, and policy evaluation. Policy recommendations and related EU policy opportunities for each of these steps are then presented.
  

12 Mar 2025 | Dominika Proszowska on vaccines and 5 years after pandemic in an article in Euractiv.

11 Mar 2025 | Visiting researcher Federico presented his work in a PPG x STRATEGO research seminar. Federico Cuomo is one of the visiting researchers supported by the STRATEGO Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence. In February and March 2024, he is hosted by the Politics & Public Governance research group under the supervision of prof. Wouter Van Dooren. In the PPG x STRATEGO research seminar, Federico presented a draft book chapter with the preliminary title "How can localities foster robust governance? The case of school closures in Estonia, Belgium, and Italy". The chapter is written together with Wouter Van Dooren and Chiara Russo (��������Ƶ) and several other researchers in the framework of the EU-funded ROBUST project. 

• Abstract: As national governments were trying to contain the spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, many European countries implemented school closures as part of emergency response strategies. Whether taken through the consultation of epidemiology experts or a more diverse set of actors, this decision had considerable consequences both for the children – and their cognitive and social skills, mental and physical health – and their parents. While the magnitude of such crisis ramifications is partly still unknown as we witness children born during the pandemic now starting their formal education trajectories, it is clear that it is within the local level that we can recognize the most robust efforts to mitigate context vulnerability and preserve children’s wellbeing. More specifically, this chapter argues that it is within multi-layered networked localities that we can observe inspiring examples of how to adapt and innovate in the face of the turbulence brought forward by school closures. We understand multi-layered networked localities as clearly delineated geographical areas where it is possible to observe the interactions of crisis responses from the local, national, and international level (Torfing et al., 2021). It is indeed through established policy field networks, actors’ variety and openness, and adaptation and innovation of tools, that the consequences on children’s well-being were limited and counterbalanced. Employing illustrations from three European countries – Estonia, Belgium, and Italy – this research underlines the essential role of localities in robust crisis governance. This also implies moving beyond the focus on the local government, to encompass the whole range of interconnected crisis responses implemented in a certain geographical area by a multitude of actors working together towards the same goal: uphold key public functions, goals and values – such as quality education and children’s wellbeing – by transforming the delivery of public services.

7 Mar 2025 | Patricia Popelier talks about our and her recently published book "Een grondwet voor ons allemaal" (A constitution for us all) in Gazet van Antwerpen (in Dutch).

28 Feb 2025 | New article titled "" authored by Simon Demuynck and Wouter Van Dooren published in International Review of Administrative Sciences.

• Abstract: The financial services sector plays an increasing role in the public management of social services. Yet, in contrast to well-studied arrangements such as public–private partnerships and social impact bonds, the ways in which the public sector drives financialization beyond these partnerships remain underexplored. We study the involvement of the financial industry in providing real estate for public services. Our case involves real estate investment trust (REIT) engagement with elderly care in Flanders, Belgium. We analyzed 68 annual reports by REITs and conducted 43 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. We show that the participation of REITs in social services is increasing significantly. Public governance mechanisms are fueling this form of financialization rather than slowing it down. The result is a form of state-led financialization with little critical scrutiny.
  

20 Feb 2025 | Cedric Jenart, Patricia Popelier and Dirk Vanheule give their proposed by the Belgian Federal Government.

20 Feb 2025 | Professor Petra Meier has recently become a member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts (). This is an association consisting of artists, business leaders and scientists and it entails a lifetime membership. Members join one of the following four classes: Natural sciences, Arts, Technical Sciences and Human Sciences. Petra Meier belongs to that latter class.

29 Jan 2025 | We are thrilled to announce that the , edited by Frédérique Six, Joseph A. Hamm, Dominika Latusek, Esther van Zimmeren, and Koen Verhoest, is now available for pre-order. Scheduled for publication in March 2025, this comprehensive volume delves into the pivotal role of trust within and between governmental entities, societal actors, and citizens. The book includes contributions by several GOVTRUST members.

• Short description: Edited by Frédérique Six, Joseph A. Hamm, Dominika Latusek, Esther van Zimmeren, and Koen Verhoest, this Handbook explores the transformative power of trust for relations within and between governments, parliaments and politicians, administrations and regulatory agencies, courts, societal actors and citizens. Adopting a multi-actor and multi-level perspective, it highlights the centrality of trust in enhancing the resilience, effectiveness and legitimacy of current governance systems. Bringing together a cross-disciplinary team of experts, the Handbook examines the causes, dynamics and effects of trust and distrust in public governance. Authors illustrate the complex interplay between (dis)trust, vulnerability, transparency, power, regulation and control in an era characterised by fluid and inclusive forms of government that require collaboration and a functional balance between trust and distrust to operate. They cover key topics including among others, participation, networks, contracting, technology, crisis governance and trust reparation. Ultimately, the Handbook explores how to expand the boundaries of future research, and demonstrates that fostering reciprocal relations of functional trust is a fundamental principle of effective governance.The Handbook on Trust in Public Governance is an essential read for students and scholars of public administration and management, political science, policy studies and public governance. It is also a key resource for policy-makers and government officials seeking to craft strategies that enhance governance legitimacy and resilience.

28 Jan 2025 | GOVTRUST met with Michigan State University's  for an insightful online meeting on vulnerability and trust. The meeting brought together researchers from both institutions to discuss, exchange ideas, and explore joint initiatives on how trust operates in moments of uncertainty and vulnerability - whether at the individual, institutional, or societal level. We are grateful to our colleagues at TrusstLab for their partnership and look forward to further strengthening this collaboration in the future.

24 Jan 2025 | Professor Petra Meier has been awarded the Francqui Chair at UCLouvain, Belgium. The Francqui Chair is a recognition for academics from other universities who excel in their field. The holder gives a series of lectures, shares their expertise, and stimulates academic collaboration. The mission of the  is to promote excellence in the disinterested fundamental research by fostering higher education and scientific advancement in Belgium. The Francqui Chair, existing since 1933, is one of the cornerstone initiatives of the Foundation. This Chair encourages collaboration and exchanges between (mostly Belgian) universities. This, in turn, enriches academic environments, advances academic excellence and interdisciplinary research, and also contributes to strengthening the different universities’ reputations.

As part of the Francqui Chair, Petra Meier will teach a lecture series. The inaugural lecture is titled "Démocratie et pouvoir de la représentation", and will take place on Wednesday 12 February 2025, 11h00 at Aula Magna, Foyer royal in Louvain-la-Neuve. More information about the lecture series.

24 Jan 2025 | Koen Verhoest presented and discussed his research within the Horizon Europe TIGRE project on "Trust and Distrust in Governance and Regulation in Europe" in a KUDoS Seminar on 24 January 2025. KUDoS is the Kozminski University Doctoral School, part of Kozminski University in Warsaw, Poland. The seminar explored challenges in researching trust across sectors like financial regulation, food safety, and data protection, combining innovative methods such as surveys, social network analysis, interviews, and legal coding. The session sparked lively discussions, with participants asking numerous questions and sharing thoughtful comments. The level of engagement was truly remarkable, and it showcased the depth of interest in this critical topic. Following the seminar, participants had the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and continue the conversations in a more informal setting. The seminar was made possible thanks to the , who supported the initiative.

21 Jan 2025 | New article titled "", authored by Ixchel Perez-Duran, Yannis Papadopoulos, Bastiaan Redert, and Juan Carlos Triviño-Salazar published (open access) in Regulation & Governance.

• Abstract: This paper examines expertise and professional diversity within new (agencies and central banks) and traditional (ministries) regulatory bodies (RBs) and assesses their effect on the perceived competence of RBs. In particular, we address the following research questions: To what extent do members of RBs have expertise and display diversity in terms of their professional trajectories? How do expertise and professional diversity affect the perceived competence of RBs? By using two empirical sources of data, this article provides core information on the educational and professional profiles of RBs staff. In addition, the paper provides evidence that both professional diversity and expertise among RBs do not have a significant effect on their perceived competence by regime actors. However, the study also suggests that regime actors that are more closely aligned to the professional trajectory of RB members (i.e., other regulators and members of the executive branch) tend to have a more positive perception of the competence of RBs. Conversely, societal actors tend to be more critical toward RBs, suggesting that a lack of a shared language creates a greater distance from the regulators.

18 Dec 2024 | Michel Walrave talks in the VRT podcast 'Het Kwartier' about . 

3 Dec 2024 | New article titled "", authored by Moritz Kappler, Rahel Schomaker, Edoardo Guaschino and Koen Verhoest, published in Comparative European Politics.

• Abstract: In this paper, we position generalised trust as central to the debate on elites’ assessments of trust in EU multi-level governance. We leverage one of the most influential factors in explaining political trust in single-government studies to understand variations in trust towards political authorities at various levels. Departing from existing studies, we hypothesise the dual nature of generalised trust: while it influences how individuals assess their trust in political authorities, its impact varies depending on different degrees of perceived similarity of these authorities at either the national or the EU level. To test our hypotheses, we conducted an elite vignette experiment involving 567 decision-makers from public and private stakeholders within regulatory regimes in eight countries. The results reveal a significant positive effect of generalised trust on political trust when evaluating a national-level regulatory agency. However, trust assessments of EU-level regulatory agencies appear to be largely unaffected by generalised trust levels. Furthermore, we observed notable differences in trust assessment between private and public stakeholders, reinforcing our argument that similarity and community belonging underlie the influence of generalised trust on political trust. Our study suggests that EU-level political authorities may derive less benefit from high levels of generalised trust, compared to national political authorities. However, in instances where generalised trust is low, political authorities at the EU level have comparatively more opportunities to cultivate trust in them.
  

15 Nov 2024 | New article titled "", authored by Jan Boon, Jan Wynen, Koen Verhoest, Walter Daelemans and Jens Lemmens, published in the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory. 

• Abstract: ​Despite recurrent observations that media reputations of agencies matter to understand their reform experiences, no studies have theorized and tested the role of sentiment. This study uses novel and advanced BERT language models to detect attributions of responsibility for positive/negative outcomes in media coverage towards 14 Flemish (Belgian) agencies between 2000-2015 through supervised machine learning, and connects these data to the Belgian State Administration Database on the structural reforms these agencies experienced. Our results reflect an inverted U-shaped relationship: more negative reputations increase the reform likelihood of agencies, yet up to a certain point at which the reform likelihood drops again. Variations in positive and neutral reputational signals do not impact the reform likelihood of agencies. Our study contributes to understanding the role of reputation as an antecedent of structural reforms. Complementing and enriching existing perspectives, the paper shows how the sentiment in reputational signals accumulates and informs political-administrative decision-makers to engage in structural reforms.
  

4 Nov 2024 | New article titled "", authored by Lisa De Roeck and Wouter Van Dooren, published in Policy Sciences.

• Abstract: Whether endemic or overt, conflict is an intrinsic part of policymaking. Public participation promises to give a place to those conflicts in a more inclusive and productive way. Previous research has primarily focused on the substance and discourse of conflict, studying what conflicts are about and how actors give meaning to conflicts. Less attention has been given to how conflicts are enacted and performed when citizens and the state meet. Using a dramaturgical approach, this paper explores how the performances, staging practices, and scenography of public participation influence policy conflicts. The research concentrates on two contentious urban projects in the Belgian city of Genk, employing ethnographic observation of participatory moments to expose the performative elements of participation. The analysis uncovers the artifacts and communicative methods that narrow the conflict scope, determine the micro-politics of the participatory meetings, and influence whose voices are heard. Using a dramaturgical analysis framework sheds light on some underexplored, micro-level dynamics of participatory efforts that may limit the scope of policy conflict. Understanding these micro-mechanisms is essential for a more inclusive and equitable urban transformation policy.
  

18 Sep 2024 | The Government & Law research group hosted the 2024 IACFS Annual Conference at University of Antwerp on 17 and 18 September 2024! IACFS is the International Association of Centers for Federal Studies, with the Government & Law research group as one of its members. With 28 presentations and over 50 scholars, the conference welcomed representations from each of the six continents.

17 Sep 2024 | New article titled "", authored by Stephan Grimmelikhuijsen, Marija Aleksovska, Judith van Erp, Sharon Gilad, Libby Maman, Tobias Bach, Moritz Kappler, Wouter Van Dooren, Rahel M Schomaker, and Heidi Houlberg Salomonsen, published in Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory.

• Abstract: Establishing and maintaining citizen trust is vital for the effectiveness and long-term viability of regulatory agencies. However, limited empirical research has been conducted on the relationship between regulatory action and citizen trust. This article addresses this gap by investigating the influence of various regulatory enforcement styles on citizen trust. We conducted a pre-registered and representative survey experiment in six countries (n=5765): Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, and Norway. Our study focuses on three key dimensions of enforcement style: formalism, coerciveness, and accommodation. We hypothesize that a strict and punitive enforcement style with minimal accommodation will enhance citizen trust. Surprisingly, we found no overall effect of enforcement on trust. However, specifically high levels of formalism (strictness) and coerciveness (punitiveness) exhibited a small positive effect on trust. Furthermore, we observed no discernible impact of an accommodative enforcement style. Additional analyses revealed that the effects of enforcement style were not consistent across country and regulatory domains. This suggests we need to reconsider assumptions underlying enforcement theory, as our findings imply that public trust seems less conditional on heavy-handed enforcement than initially anticipated.
  

10 Sep 2024 | GOVTRUST was well represented at the  (3-6 September) in Athens, Greece. The 2024 Annual Conference of the European Group for Public Administration was organized in close cooperation with the Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences and focused on the theme: "Strengthening Democratic Governance for Better Public Policies and Services".  

• Rik Joosen presented his paper titled "Using stakeholders to your advantage: An experiment on how stakeholder support affects agency authority" in the panel Governance of Public Sector Organizations. Co-authored with Caelesta Braun (Leiden University), the paper uses an experiment to show that regulatory agencies can expand their authority in the eyes of ministry officials when they have support from a diverse group of stakeholders. This is important as it may make it harder to keep agencies accountable.
  
• Danika Pieters presented her recent work on "Psychological Contract Fulfillment in a Changing Public Sector: a Mixed-Methods Case-��������Ƶ" in the panel Public Personnel Policies. The paper is co-authored with Bjorn Kleizen, Jan Wynen and Koen Verhoest and concerns a mixed-method study that explores how organizational change intensity affects psychological contract fulfillment among civil servants, while also highlighting the role of change management.
• Loes Reijnders presented the paper "Evaluating Co-Creation: A conjoint experiment on the importance of attributes on co-creation outcomes", co-authored with Koen Verhoest, in the panel on Citizen Participation. Their paper investigates how different attributes of co-creation initiatives, such as the channel used (digital, analogue, or hybrid), the level of impact (advisory or binding), the level of governance (local or regional), and the phase of co-creation (co-deciding, co-thinking, co-discussing), influence citizens' perceptions of the outcomes.
  
• Erasmus Häggblom presented a paper he co-authored with Wouter van Dooren and Bjorn Kleizen, titled "Citizens’ decision-making in a simulated policymaking environment – a budget game experiment". As part of the panel on Behavioural Public Administration, the paper reports on an experiment investigating the effects of performance information on citizens' trust in public services and voice behaviour in the context of a school budget simulation. Participants were first given different types of performance information, after which some participants played a budget game where they acted as the budget officer for two fictional schools.
  

Photo credit: Rik Joosen

10 Sep 2024 | The GOVTRUST Summer School was proudly mentioned as a best practice on peer learning in the September Newsletter of ��������Ƶ's Educational Department. During the summer school, the first paper workshop was focused on peer feedback, where participants (mostly junior researchers) discuss each other's papers with other participants in small groups. During the group work, they gave an elevator pitch on their own paper and exchange ideas, with attention for strengths, clarifications and points for improvement of each other's papers. The session ends in a plenary session to name a few takeaways.

9 Sep 2024 | Excited to share a brand new article titled "" , authored by Koen Verhoest, Dominika Latusek-Jurczak, Frédérique Six, Libby Maman, PhD, Yannis Papadopoulos, Rahel M. Schomaker, and Jarle Trondal, published in Journal of Trust Research.

• Abstract: The relationship between trust and distrust in public governance is still an open question. In the literature, three different perspectives on how trust and distrust are related are intensively debated: (1) trust and distrust as two ends of the same conceptual continuum; (2) trust and distrust as opposites, but with neutral ground in between; and (3) trust and distrust as related, yet distinct concepts. Employing a new measure for distrust and by using perceptual data on trust and distrust in regulatory agencies from multiple types of stakeholders in nine countries and three sectors, this article shows that high trust and high distrust can co-exist at the same time, and that trust and distrust are negatively correlated only to a limited extent. Moreover, while trustworthiness correlates strongly with trust, trustworthiness does not or only weakly correlate with distrust in a negative way. These findings are robust even when controlling for respondents' characteristics, different types of stakeholders, sectors and countries. This suggests that in public governance settings trust and distrust should be considered as distinct concepts, and the article calls for more research into the distinctiveness of the measurement, causes and effects of distrust, compared to trust.

8 Sep 2024 | Patricia Popelier on the in De Morgen (in Dutch).

3 Sep 2024 | We are thrilled to announce that the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence has secured extended funding through to the end of 2031!

After an intensive and highly competitive evaluation process, we are happy to once again be one of the 12 selected centres of excellence at the University of Antwerp. Building on previous work of the current GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence on trust and multi-level governance, the new GOVTRUST research programme focuses on “Trust and Distrust in the Governance of Societal Transitions”. This extension also allows us to expand our consortium in terms of disciplines and research groups and to focus on a number of new research areas.

Expanded consortium, with multiple disciplines and research groups:

• Public administration & political science: Koen Verhoest and Peter Bursens and the Politics and Public Governance (PPG) team
• Law: Patricia Popelier and Esther van Zimmeren and the Government and Law (G&L) team
  
• Communication sciences: Michel Walrave and the Media, ICT, and interpersonal relations in Organisations and Society (MIOS) team
• Sociology: Stijn Oosterlynck and the Centre for Research on Environmental and Social Change (CRESC) team
• Organisational behaviour: Jan Wynen and the Department of Management team
• Learning sciences: Piet Van den Bossche and the Edubronteam

The consortium continues to be coordinated by Koen Verhoest and Esther van Zimmeren, with the support of research manager Sophie Op de Beeck. Furthermore, we can rely on our International Advisory Board, which was also extended to match the new research agenda.

New research emphases, including:

• The role of uncertainty, vulnerability, and emotions in trust processes
• The temporal and spatial dimension of trust
• Creating a functional trust-distrust balance
• Rethinking governance for societal transitions
• Empirical focus on two pivotal transitions: the green transition and the digital transition

Thank you to all our partners and supporters who have made this possible. Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting new chapter! We will announce the official launch of the new GOVTRUST research programme in the coming months.

3 Sep 2024 | During his secondment at Kobe University (Japan), Andreas Corcaci presented his work at the 4th Japan Workshop on QCA "Comparative Analysis of Government Activities" which was held online and at Waseda University, Tokyo. Andreas presented preliminary findings on hisproject with a 'paper' titled “International and European governance of environmental obligations: Comparing implementation across resolution mechanisms”. Further presentations included Takahiro Miyachi (University of Tokyo) on “Assessing the impact of central government announcements on mask-wearing compliance in Latin America during COVID-19” and Isamu Okada (Nagoya University) on “Tracing test capacity in Latin America during the COVID-19 pandemic”.

26 Aug 2024 | Patricia Popelier on the in Knack (in Dutch).

26 Aug 2024 | New open access article by Andreas Corcaci on "" in Journal of Contemporary European Studies.

• Abstract: The implementation of EU law has been investigated since the 1980s without pinpointing any general explanatory mechanisms, while most studies focus on highly specific empirical analysis without going beyond basic conceptual descriptions. Theoretically, this paper proposes an alternative comparative framework to conceptualize and analyze differentiated policy implementation based on concept structural considerations. Empirically, existing case studies are compared in a meta-study by transferring their statements on explanatory conditions and outcomes into a parsimonious, procedural model. This approach enables a theory-guided, systematic comparison of qualitative case studies which has long been considered a desideratum in the implementation literature. The paper addresses the question under which conditions correct implementation (i.e. transposition and application) of EU directives occurs. Starting from a literature assessment, explanatory patterns are extracted and formalized as set-theoretic conditions connected to transposition and application as outcomes. The resulting concept structural model links the conceptual and explanatory levels of the underlying concepts. Using fuzzy set QCA, cases from environmental and social policy directives are assessed empirically based on case study data. The results largely confirm the expectation that only a conjunction of willingness- and ability-related conditions leads to correct implementation, particularly conjunctions of favourable attitudes and compatible institutional structures or capacities.

23 Aug 2024 | We wrapped up a successful second edition of the GOVTRUST Summer School on "A Multi-Level Perspective on Trust and Public Governance for Societal Transitions', which took place 19-23 August 2024 in Antwerp. It was an incredible experience and an inspiring week with many fascinating speakers who shared deep insights into trust and public governance from a multi-level perspective and for societal transitions. The discussions were both thought-provoking and practical, providing us with fresh perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in the field. Apart from contributions from our very own GOVTRUST members, we also had the privilege of learning from some international guest speakers, including Joe Hamm on trust and vulnerability; Ben Seyd on political trust; Tina Øllgaard Bentzen on trust-based reforms; Erik Hans Klijn on trust in network governance; and Monika Glavina on trust in and between courts. In addition, we were lucky to have a wonderful group of 22 participants from around the world, whose enthusiasm and collaborative spirit made the GOVTRUST Summer School 2024 truly memorable.

16 Aug 2024 | Peter Bursens, Esther van Zimmeren, Susana Coroado, and Bjorn Kleizen attended the 2024 ECPR General Conference (12-15 August), taking place at University College Dublin, Ireland.

8 Aug 2024 | Watch the insightful , and how this supports effective governance during crises (part of the ROBUST project). 

8 Jul 2024 | New open access article by Andreas Corcaci and Henning Deters on "" in Regional & Federal Studies.

• Abstract: Since the Lisbon Treaty, research on parliaments in EU affairs turned to the regional level, but few studies ask how subnational legislators engage with the substance of EU policies. We examine this topic based on statements by the parliamentary groups in all German Landtage concerning the reform of the Posted Workers Directive, which became particularly salient when the European Court of Justice liberalized wage clauses in state procurement law. Under which conditions did the parliamentary groups support the reform? Our configurational analysis reveals that a left party identity is the only necessary attribute for support, and that it becomes sufficient in conjunction with the group being in opposition or with state policy being affected by European jurisprudence. We find little evidence that the local economic context mattered. The results partly confirm research on the Europeanization of state procurement law but highlight the importance of policy shaping from below.

12 Jul 2024 | Andreas Corcaci (University of Antwerp) and Sho Niikawa (Kobe University) co-organised an online, joint mini workshop showcasing innovative use of social research methods in a variety of research contexts. The stimulating presentations featured dramaturgical (Lisa De Roeck), experimental (Erasmus Häggblom) and set-theoretical methods (Lungta Seki).

​28 Jun 2024 | Patricia Popelier on in De Standaard (in Dutch).

20 Jun 2024 | New open access article by Andreas Corcaci and Sho Niikawa on "" in Comparative European Politics.

• Abstract: This study assesses democratic changes against the background of an increased use of referendums in European parliamentary systems. Existing studies on why referendums have become more frequent argue that it is due to the so-called ‘blurring’ of political alignments aiming to bypass institutional veto players. Which change of conditions is sufficient for a more frequent use of referendums? The proposed domestic conditions do not exclude external reasons, and related studies imply that various combinations of internal and external factors are worth exploring further. Accordingly, in our study we assess the configurations of political-institutional changes by using time-differencing Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). First, we find that democratic convergence leads to multiple explanatory paths for referendum use. Second, the result suggests that explanations with simple majoritarian dynamics are robust compared to other explanations showing convergence. Third, the existence of many veto players combined with economic globalization is identified as an alternative explanation to the convergence toward more frequent referendum use. This study advances referendum and European integration research by highlighting the dynamics of simple majoritarian democratic systems, but also veto players and globalization over time. The results imply that more attention should be given to the configurational nature of an increased rise in referendums in European democracies.

18 Jun 2024 | Koen Verhoest attended the . This two-day conference was held at the University of Pennsylvania (USA) on June 17-18, 2024, and focused on the theme of "Regulatory Governance in a Changing World". Koen Verhoest chaired several panels and presented multiple papers at the conference.

• Panel (chair) - Regulatory Governance in Search for Discretion and Legitimacy: Conditions and Effects of a Shift Towards Goal-, Principle- or Performance Based Regulations (with Lise Frehen)
• Panel (chair) - Regulating for Trust and Trust in Regulation (part I and II)
• Paper (co-author) - Trust and Distrust in Regulatory Intermediaries
  
• Paper (co-author) - Stakeholders’ Trust in Regulatory Bodies: The Role of Interactive Mechanisms
• Paper (co-author) - The Crucial Role of Trustworthy Regulatory Agencies in Cultivating Well-Performing Regulatory Regimes
  

11 Jun 2024 | New open access article by Jakob Frateur on "" in Perspectives on Federalism. 

• Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that political actors and were willing to take or endorse drastic measures to mitigate the spread of the virus. At the same time, the political systems responding to the pandemic have become increasingly interconnected into multilevel governance structures. Also, studies have shown that political trust is seen as an important precondition for the functioning of a political system, especially in times of crisis, while the drivers of political trust are less often studied. The concept of political trust is also relevant from an MLG perspective, as different tiers of government (in)directly influence citizens’ trust and as citizens can express trust in different levels simultaneously. However, the effect of both contexts on political trust is rarely studied. This paper therefore examines how crises mitigating measures and multilevel governance contexts impact political trust. We study this question by means of a systematic literature review of 48 papers searched for in political science or legal research. The goal of this research is to systematize and integrate knowledge of distinct strands of research, searching for overlaps, in order to get more insight in the phenomenon of political trust.
  

11 Jun 2024 | Patricia Popelier on how a government is formed in (from 3'20"; in Dutch).

6 Jun 2024 | We are excited to share this new open-access publication "", authored by Koen Verhoest, Martino Maggetti, Edoardo Guaschino, and Jan Wynen.

• Abstract: Trust is expected to play a vital role in regulatory regimes. However, how trust affects the performance and legitimacy of these regimes is poorly understood. Our study examines how the interplay of trust and distrust relationships among and toward political, administrative, and regulatory actors shapes perceptions of performance and legitimacy. Drawing on cross-country survey data measuring trust and distrust among various actors within regulatory regimes, our analysis reveals that relationships of watchful trust in terms of a “trust but verify” attitude among actors are conducive to higher regulatory performance. Conversely, the combination of high trust with low distrust fosters regime legitimacy, while high levels of watchfulness even have a detrimental impact on legitimacy. Our research underscores that actors within regulatory regimes adopt a logic of con-sequentiality when evaluating and contributing to regime performance. In contrast, for fostering regime legitimacy, a logic of appropriateness appears to be more relevant.

22 May 2024 | Patricia Popelier about what a caretaker government can do in (from 22'10").

22 May 2024 | Patricia Popelier about the in De Tijd (in Dutch).

21 May 2024 | Wouter Van Dooren, Lieven Janssens, Peter Van Humbeeck and Filip De Rynck on a in De Standaard (in Dutch).

​15 May 2024 | We are excited to announce the publication of the "", co-edited by Luís de Sousa (Instituto de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal) and our very own Susana Coroado (Research Groups Politics & Public Governance and Government & Law, University of Antwerp, Belgium).

This cutting-edge Encyclopedia delves deep into the phenomenology of corruption and its impacts on the governance of societies. Addressing what makes corruption such a resilient, complex, and global priority for study, this comprehensive work is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand and combat corruption.

Entries cover diverse topics concerning corruption, looking at their definitions and variations, prevalence, causal factors, governance impacts, and control policies, as well as emerging issues and new challenges such as the strategic use of corruption and the role of technology in fighting it. With coverage ranging from classic corruption themes to high-profile cases and up-and-coming topics, entries explore anti-corruption agencies, ethics committees and management, gender and corruption, gift giving, organized crime, police corruption, sextortion, tax evasion, whistleblowing, and white-collar crime. Combining different methodological approaches, this Encyclopedia delineates corruption as a powerful means of influencing public policy.

Interdisciplinary and international in scope, this Encyclopedia will be an indispensable reference work for students and scholars of regulation and governance, public policy and administration, economic crime and corruption, the sociology of corruption, and terrorism and security studies. It will also benefit policymakers and specialized anti-corruption bodies looking to refresh their knowledge.

Key features:

• 79 wide-ranging entries organized alphabetically for accessibility and ease of navigation
• Written by 92 esteemed scholars and practitioners from around the world
• Includes relevant bibliographic references supporting conceptual, theoretical, and analytical arguments

Dive into the "" and equip yourself with the knowledge to tackle one of the most pressing issues of our time.​

15 May 2024 | Patricia Popelier on the  and the rule of law in Knack (in Dutch).

13 May 2024 | New article by Moritz Kappler, Koen Verhoest, Tobias Bach, Libby Maman and Rahel Schomaker on "" in European Political Science Review. This article is a result from the collaboration in the H2020 TiGRE project.

• Abstract: Trust between constituent actors within the European Union (EU)’s multilevel regulatory regimes is decisive for regulatory success. Trust drives information flows, increases compliance, and improves cooperation within these regimes. Despite its importance, systematic knowledge regarding the drivers of trust within regulatory regimes is limited. This paper inquires whether trust in regulatory agencies is influenced by their affiliation with the national or EU governmental level, as well as by their performance. While existing literature predominantly focuses on why citizens place their trust in governments or regulatory agencies, this paper presents original insights regarding the formation of trust among elites within the regulatory regime, including politicians, ministerial officials, agency officials, interest groups, and regulated entities. We employ data obtained from a large-scale vignette experiment conducted in six countries involving 752 decision-makers from relevant organizations. The experimental results suggest that both public and private elite actors’ trust assessment of regulatory agencies does not hinge on cues associated with the governmental level, but rather depends on agency performance. Accordingly, belonging to the national or EU governmental level does not create a difference in trust assessment of regulatory agencies in itself. It, however, shows that particularly elite actors are rather sensitive in terms of the performance of a regulatory agency.
  

7 May 2024 | Wouter Van Dooren about the in Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch).

6 May 2024 | The GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence hosted a seminar with the EISON team, a team of researchers in the Netherlands (VU Amsterdam & Tilburg University) working on "External and Internal Supervision Methods and Modalities for Organizational Networks Addressing Complex Societal Issues". It was a fascinating exchange and discussion of research insights on trust, control and regulation. 

6 May 2024 | Together with other experts, Patricia Popelier reflects on in De Morgen (in Dutch).

2 May 2024 | In collaboration with the Faculty of Social Sciences and the FSW Lecture series, the recently launched STRATEGO Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence (University of Antwerp) organised its opening lecture with a keynote by Kurt Vandenberghe (DG CLIMA) on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024. Under the banner of "Sustainability, Trust, and European Multilevel Governance", the STRATEGO Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence serves as a cornerstone for academic dialogue and collaboration in the realm of European studies at the University of Antwerp. After introducing STRATEGO, we welcomed Mr. Kurt Vandenberghe, Director-General of DG CLIMA (European Commission), as our keynote speaker. Mr. Vandenberghe shared his insights on the "Prospects and Challenges for the European Green Deal after the 2024 EP elections". After Mr. Vandenberghe's keynote address, we opened the floor to questions from the audience. We concluded our event with a reception generously hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences and the FSW Lecture series.

5 Apr 2024 | 🌟 Event alert! 🌟 The recently launched STRATEGO Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence (University of Antwerp) organises its opening lecture with a keynote by Kurt Vandenberghe (DG CLIMA) on Thursday, May 2nd, 2024, 16:30 - 19:30h.

2 Apr 2024 | Wouter Van Dooren reflects on the in the city of Antwerp in Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch)

13 Mar 2024 |  receives an FWO grant for a scientific stay at the University of Antwerp. Jose will be visiting the Politics & Public Governance research group from November 2024 to January 2025.

1 Mar 2024 | Patricia Popelier reflects on the and how the judge usually looks for legitimacy in De Standaard (in Dutch).

21 Feb 2024 | Marijn Hoijtink talks about the in a radio interview with VRT Radio 1's "De Wereld Vandaag" (in Dutch).

20 Feb 2024 | In an interview with the Polish Rzeczpospolita, Dominika Latusek-Jurczak talks about how  (in Polish), based on the TiGRE research on Trust in Governance and Regulation in Europe.

16 Feb 2024 | Bernardo Rangoni has presented his recent book "Experimentalist Governance: From Architectures to Outcomes" at several research institutions across Europe.

• University of York (UK), Department of Politics and International Relations, 20 September 2023 - 
  
• Luiss Guido Carli (Italy), Department of Political Science, 4 October 2023 - ​
  
• European University Institute (Italy), Florence School of Transnational Governance, 9 February 2024 - 
• London School of Economics and Political Science (UK), European Institute, 27 February 2024 - ​
  

​16 Feb 2024 | In an interview with Oko Press in Poland, Dominika Latusek-Jurczak talks about "" (in Polish).

​13 Feb 2024 | 📚 Publication spotlight! 📚 Download the open access book chapter authored by Koen Verhoest, Erik Hans Klijn, Lise H. Rykkja, and Gerhard Hammerschmid. This is the closing chapter of the full open access book "Collaborating for Digital Transformation: How Internal and External Collaboration Can Contribute to Innovate Public Service Delivery". Check out the book and all its chapters .

2 Feb 2024 | 🎓 Several GOVTRUST members from the Politics & Public Governance research group (Peter Bursens, Wouter Van Dooren) have a longstanding involvement in . The Executive Master programme specifically targets Flemish and Dutch professionals in the public domain. Thanks to its sustainable collaboration with the Politics & Public Governance research group at the University of Antwerp, the programme has a solid foundation in (applied) scientific research.

27 Jan 2024 | From 24 to 26 January 2024, Bernardo Rangoni, David Levi-Faur (HUJI) and Koen Verhoest organised a workshop on "" at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute. Bringing together scholars from distinct disciplines in polities ranging from European countries and the European Union through North America and Australia to the Global South and China this workshop aimed at exploring the complex relationship between regulation and (dis)trust.

• Introduction: Today, distrust appears integral to the governance of our societies, often in close association with the multiple crises that have repeatedly shocked us. Regulation has followed, with both substantive reforms and novel institutional architectures. Yet, distrust can vary in strength across polities and policies, as well as over time. Thus, we should not take (dis)trust for granted, but rather, assess it empirically. Equally, we should not assume that distrust has always positively affected regulation, as the conventional view – seeing trust and regulation as alternatives – suggests. Nor should we rule out the possibility that the operation of regulation might feed back into trust, restoring it after a previous breach. But while today it is undeniable that the allegedly pervasive distrust that might fuel regulation is at the heart of the wider politics of governance, we know little about whether, how and why (dis)trust and regulation affect one another. Bringing together scholars from distinct disciplines – notably law, political science and public administration, this workshop aims at exploring – in polities ranging from European countries and the European Union through North America and Australia to the Global South and China – the complex relationship between regulation and (dis)trust.

26 Jan 2024 | 📰 New article on by Elena Escalante-Block in Journal of European Integration.

• Abstract: Scholars have often argued that European Union (EU) policymaking should be less technocratic and more political. However, it remains unclear whether the politicisation of policy-making processes by the European Commission will strengthen its legitimacy. Some authors view the EU and its institutions as its most effective outside of political strife. Others suggest that more politicisation will increase EU legitimacy as it can lead to debates where European Integration objectives can be redefined. This study argues that the impact of politicisation on the Commission’s legitimacy ultimately depends on the endorsement of novel interpretations of an EU law or policy issue. Here, two state aid policy decisions are compared using a claims-making analysis. The study finds that new legal interpretations made by the Commission led to a politicisation surrounded by questions about the EU’s authority. However, if the European Commission follows pre-established rules, then politicisation can strengthen the EU’s legitimacy communication.
  

12 Jan 2024 | 📕 Newly published book is now available open access. The book was edited by Koen Verhoest (GOVTRUST coordinator), Gerhard Hammerschmid, Lise Hellebø Rykkja and Erik Hans Klijn. GOVTRUST members Chesney Callens and Dries Van Doninck also contributed to the book. The book mainly builds upon comparative work from the Horizon 2020  project.

• Description: As worldwide institutions acknowledge the necessity of digital, open, and collaborative governments, this timely book offers a comprehensive exploration of digital transformation, intergovernmental collaboration, collaborative governance, and public sector innovation. The book * highlights how collaborations between government organizations, as well as with the private sector and users, enhance digital transformation and public service innovation; *sheds light on the complexities, risks, and power dynamics inherent in these collaborations; * combines practical accounts with theoretical academic rigor; * and proposes a roadmap for more innovative and effective governments in the digital age.​

8 Jan 2024 | 📕 New book on , edited by Alberto Nicòtina, Patricia Popelier, and Peter Bursens. 

• Description: This book provides an in-depth guide to researchers and practitioners who are interested in analysing the evolution of EU law from a national and comparative constitutional law perspective. The volume deals with questions of how EU member states’ constitutional systems, including the subnational tier, interact with the supranational level. It maps the evolution over time of constitutional strategies in the face of multi-level governance and individual contextual factors on an empirical basis. The volume comprises 12 national reports written by leading experts in constitutional and EU law, and in political science. The countries discussed include the six founding member states, together with a selection of member states in which a clear-cut evolution in the national constitutional approach towards the EU can be observed. These comprise the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. The latter is included as an “extreme” case in which the change in constitutional strategy over time has resulted in withdrawing from the Union altogether. Taken together, the book assembles the building blocks of an explanatory theory of constitutional strategies in the face of multi-level governance. The volume will be of interest to students and researchers in comparative constitutional law, political science, and multidisciplinary EU studies. It will also be a valuable resource for policy-makers.

4 Jan 2024 | 📰 New article on by Björn Mestdagh, Luc Van Liedekerke, and Olivier Sempiga. 

• Abstract: This paper constitutes a theoretical reflection on organizational engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the widespread adoption of such engagements, a precise definition and positioning of organizational SDG engagement are lacking in the literature. This gap also extends to the underlying motivations driving organizations to actively engage with the SDGs. To address these, this study aims to achieve two key objectives. Firstly, it seeks to establish a foundational understanding by defining and delineating the concept of organizational SDG engagement, recognizing its distinctiveness from Corporate Sustainability (CS) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Secondly, leveraging existing literature on CS and CSR, we propose a comprehensive driver framework for organizational SDG engagement. This framework underscores morality, efficiency, and legitimacy as primary drivers. The overarching goal of this reflective paper is, therefore, to enhance the theoretical comprehension of organizational SDG engagement by applying and integrating existing literature into the conceptual framework.

27 Dec 2023 | New article by Andreas Corcaci on "" in Nordic Journal of European Law (open access).

• Abstract: This article theorises the national implementation of European and international decisions on environmental conflicts, integrating both judgments from courts and so-called managerial decisions from (non-)compliance mechanisms in multilateral environmental agreements. Starting from the observation that the impact of climate change is increasing with backlash from populist governments and political regimes against its mitigation, implementing legal obligations in the absence of specialised environmental courts is crucial to protect the environment from harm. However, systematic insights on the national implementation of judgments and managerial decisions made beyond the nation state are underexplored. Following a political science perspective, this article conceptualises the conditions explaining this phenomenon by making use of existing research from various disciplines including political science and law on policy implementation to enable systematic comparisons. For this purpose, the article outlines a concept structural approach based on two hypothesised explanations: one based on the mechanisms used to solve conflicts, and another relating to the legitimacy of relevant institutions and processes of conflict resolution. These explanatory pathways reflect the existing management and enforcement approaches from the political science literature on implementation and follow a conjunctural logic. The theoretical approach developed in this article enables systematic comparisons across decisions and thus accounts for a variety of separate but equally valid explanations. Future research and empirical analysis will directly feed back into the concept structure for further theoretical development and lead to generalisable insights on the national implementation of court judgments and managerial decisions on environmental conflicts. In this way, the aim is to contribute to both political science and legal literature regarding European and international environmental law, environmental politics, and judicial governance.
  

26 Dec 2023 | New article on by Mette Østergaard Pedersen, Koen Verhoest and Heidi Houlberg Salomonsen in Regulation & Governance.

• Abstract: Existing research investigating regulatory agencies' reputation-conscious behavior have primarily focused on reactive behavior in the context of reputational threats. Additionally, this literature has primarily focused on agencies' responses to such threats and external audiences' perceptions of agencies reputation, although reputation resides in both external and internal audiences. This study aims to address these two gaps by (1) identifying the relevance of regulatory agencies' reputations vis-à-vis internal audiences and (2) investigating whether reputations, in this case as judged by internal audiences, can be cultivated when managers of regulatory agencies perform reputation management in a more proactive sense. Using a unique two-wave panel survey targeting internal audiences from three Danish regulatory agencies, we find a positive and significant relationship between reputation management and how internal audiences perceive the organizational reputation. Moreover, we find that employee advocacy partially mediates this relationship. Given that regulatory agencies are particularly susceptible to reputational threats and given that the reputational perception of employees affect other employee outcomes as well as their regulatory decision making, this study shows the potential of reputation management by regulatory agencies as an instrument for affecting employees' outcomes.

13 Dec 2023 | Good news from Research Foundation Flanders (FWO)! A new project was awarded to Esther van Zimmeren, Patricia Popelier and Bjorn Kleizen on "Trust in Specialised Courts: The Unified Patent Court as a Case ��������Ƶ to Disentangle Trust Dynamics". Congrats!

12 Dec 2023 | New article on by Koen Verhoest, Chesney Callens, Erik Hans Klijn, Lena Brogaard, Jaime García-Rayado, and Steven Nõmmik in Public Administration Review.

• Abstract: This article examines the impact of partnership design on technological innovation in public-private innovation partnerships. It develops two competing hypotheses on how specific partnership characteristics lead to innovation in health care services. The study compares 19 eHealth partnerships across five European countries and uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to test the hypotheses. The findings show that small, centralized, and homogeneous partnerships are most successful at achieving technological innovation. The study highlights the importance of partnership design in spurring innovation and calls for a reconsideration of some of the underlying assumptions of collaborative innovation theory.

11 Dec 2023 | Bernardo Rangoni contributed to the Encyclopedia of Public Policy with an entry on "". 

• Abstract: This entry introduces unfamiliar readers to “experimentalist governance”, an analytically distinctive form of governance that is presented as a normatively desirable alternative to conventional hierarchical governance and that, in line with the American pragmatism by which it draws inspiration, is generally defined as “recursive policymaking and revision based on inclusive review of implementation experience”. The entry begins by briefly discussing two concepts – “directly-deliberative polyarchy” and “democratic experimentalism” – that are largely equivalent to experimentalist governance, but which have appeared earlier and with different emphasises. Then, it concentrates on the “classic” experimentalist governance architecture, taking pains to set boundaries between this and other major concepts in public policy. That is to say, explaining what experimentalist governance is, and what it is not. Finally, the entry looks at recent trends, namely the emergence of a “simplified”...

​8 Dec 2023 | Recent work by Jan Boon, Jan Wynen and Koen Verhoest on reputation and organisational rigidity was picked up by the London School of Economics. As a result, they contributed a for the London School of Economics blog, based on their paper "Do reputational threats influence the rigidity of US agencies? A dynamic panel data approach" in Public Administration Review. ​

• Abstract: Governments and government agencies are frequently the subject of criticism from the public, media, and politicians, over issues of inefficiency and bureaucracy. In new research, Jan Boon, Jan Wynen and Koen Verhoest find that exposure to these criticisms and the reputational damage that they can do can lead to government agencies having more rigid bureaucracies. They find that government organizations which experienced bursts of negativity, especially from legislators in Congress, were more likely to centralize decision-making, formalize procedures, disempower employees, and restrict information flows. 

28 Nov 2023 | Bernardo Rangoni presented his book "" for an interdisciplinary audience at University of Antwerp. During the presentation, he provides insights into the themes and inspiration behind the book and answered questions from the audience. The book (a) provides a timely examination of five growingly crucial policy domains — electricity, natural gas, communications, finance, and pharmaceuticals; (b) relates to key debates in regulatory governance, itself an inter- and multi-disciplinary field stemming from law, public administration, and political science; and (c) offers a novel analytical framework that is valuable for studying the influence of non-hierarchical institutional structures on actual policy processes and policy outcomes. Find out more about the book and order .​

14 Nov 2024 | Several GOVTRUST members traveled to the Netherlands (Den Haag) for a "Leiden meets Antwerp" workshop. More specifically, the workshop reunited researchers from the Democracy & Bureaucracy research group at Leiden University and the Politics & Public Governance research group at University of Antwerp. Researchers from both groups presented their work on hybridity (Susana Coroado, PPG & GOVTRUST), interest groups and agenda setting (Frederik Stevens, PPG), school governance (Diego Salazar Morales et al., D&G), and accessibility of evaluative information (Valérie Pattyn & Caelesta Braun, D&G). The workshop further strengthened the ties between both research groups.

4 Nov 2023 | Once again, Public Administration research at the University of Antwerp is ranked 22nd (1st in Belgium) on the . Congratulations to the Politics & Public Governance research group on their joint efforts that contributed to this great achievement!

20 Oct 2023 | Dominika Prozowska was awarded the  by the Polish Association for European Studies. Her dissertation “How People Trust Their Governments? Trends, Patterns and Determinants of Trust Differentiation in Multilevel Polities” received 1st prize as the best European Studies PhD dissertation defended in years 2021 and 2022. In their assessments, the committee members considered, among others, the novelty of the research, its scientific relevance and excellence. The award ceremony took place during the 4th European Studies Conference in Cracow, Poland. Read the thesis summary . Download the online version of the full thesis . Congratulations on an outstanding achievement, Dominika!

14 Oct 2023 | Lieven Janssens (Politics & Public Governance, ��������Ƶ) and Filip De Rynck (Ghent University) presented their report on the "Future Vision on Local and Domestic Governance in Flanders" (Toekomstvisie op het Lokaal en Binnenlands Bestuur in Vlaanderen) in the Flemish Parliament. Their report is based on more than 240 interviews and discussions with academics, civil servants, umbrella organisations, political parties and civil society and portrays a consensus among the academic partners of the Policy Research Centre Governance Innovation (incl. partners from KU Leuven, UGhent, ��������Ƶ and UHasselt). In broad terms, the future vision states the following. Social challenges surrounding climate, energy, healthcare, housing, poverty, mobility, open space, water, etc. require a reformed domestic administration for a better integrated, more effective and better democratically legitimised approach. This administrative model is based on, on the one hand, larger and stronger local authorities and, on the other hand, a Flemish government that collaborates with local authorities on these tasks and reorganizes itself together with those local authorities and social organizations for a better integrated area-oriented policy. This should take shape in a political system with stronger popular representation, both at local and Flemish level and with more constructive political-official relationships at both levels. This report is the starting point for a thorough social debate and will hopefully inspire the next government statement. For more information and to download the report, please visit (only in Dutch).

6 Oct 2023 | Cassandra Willems received a 4-year PhD scholarship from the Research Foundation Flanders - FWO (supervisors: Koen Verhoest, Patricia Popelier and Peter Bursens). In next few years she will study under which conditions the inclusion of principle-based regulation (PBR) in hybrid regulatory regimes affects both beneficiaries' and regulatees' trust in those regimes. This innovative research adds to the extensive work done on regulation by ��������Ƶ's Politics & Public Governance research group and the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence, including the multi-level and multi-actor nature of regulatory governance and the horizontal and vertical complexity of contemporary politics and public governance. Cassandra is the perfect candidate for the job, being both educated in Law and Social Sciences and being driven by a particular interest in law in action, how rules find their implementation in practice and what their societal impact could be. She has a great track record and has already proven to be an integral part of our research team in the past few months. We are looking forward to her upcoming work! Find out more about the project on 'Principle-based Regulation and Trust'.

3 Oct 2023 | New article by Tom Langbroek and Koen Verhoest on "" in Public Policy and Administration.

• Abstract: Innovation through collaboration has been increasingly adopted to tackle complex social issues. As a result, the development of public sector innovations is to a lesser degree an ‘in-house’ matter and public sector innovations are increasingly more developed in collaborative arrangements that force organizations to interact across organizational borders. Despite the growing body of literature on collaborative innovation, little is known about the influence of organizations on the interactions of their members when they are acting on behalf of their organization in such collaborative arrangements. Through social network analysis, we examine how organizations influence the eagerness of their representatives in arrangements for collaborative innovation to engage in interactions outside official meetings with other participants. We found that the representative’s freedom to act and the extent to which the higher-level managers of the own organization sees the innovation project as a priority stimulates the extent to which the representative interacts with other participants in the arrangement. Moreover, reciprocity and having a coordinating role in the process determines interaction as well.
  

29 Sep 2023 | Koen Verhoest participated in the , from 28 to 29 September 2023 hosted at University of Siena, Italy. The conference theme was "Trust and Distrust in Governance: Exploring the Impact of Social and Political Dynamics". Koen Verhoest presented research results from the TiGRE project as well as the work of the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence.

29 Sep 2023 | New publication by Susana Coroado on "", published in as a working paper in the series Forum Transregionale Studien. Freely available for download in open access.

• Abstract: Big Tech companies have attained unprecedented power and are entrenched in all aspects of public and private lives of individuals and communities in the last few years. Their mounting economic power, geopolitical relevance and outstanding impact on democratic rule and fundamental rights make them rival with the power of sovereign states. Simultaneously, the companies try to replicate rule of law structures in their own governance. Amidst the contestation of Big Tech power, the EU Digital Services Act has emerged as a most advanced regulation aimed at tackling the companies’ power. However, it risks legitimizing the self-regulatory instruments and reinforcing the power of the most dominant companies.

28 Sep 2023 | New article by Susana Coroado and co-authors on "" in Party Politics.

• Abstract: Political parties increasingly rely on self-regulation to promote ethical standards in office. The adoption of ethics self-regulation and its ability to induce change is likely to be a function of the responses from politicians and voters. Without external enforcement mechanisms, compliance requires support from legislators. In turn, if voters perceive self-regulation as cheap talk, officials have fewer incentives to acquiesce. The extent to which such efforts are rewarded by voters and supported by elected officials remains an open question. We examine this question in a paired conjoint experiment with elected officials and voters in Portugal and Spain. The results show that politicians support (and voters reward) financial disclosures, lobbying registries, and sanctions for MPs involved in corruption cases. Voters also reward term limits, and the effects are not moderated by ideological agreement. The findings suggest that parties can benefit from promoting transparency reforms and are not penalized by experimentation.
  

26 Sep 2023 | Catherine Van de Heyning on cyberbullying and the 'gossip girl' channels on TikTok in and on Radio 1's "" (in Dutch).

22 Sep 2023 | Koen Verhoest and Chesney Callens presented and discussed their work on principles of a dynamic, collaborative and crisis-resistant government organisation at the President's Council (Voorzitterscollege) of the Flemish government. The complex and transversal problems that the Flemish government is confronted with today require a dynamic, collaborative and crisis-resistant government. In recent years, Koen Verhoest and Chesney Callens have conducted research into the structure, culture, management and coordination of the Flemish government, with the aim of providing tools for strengthening a future-oriented Flemish government. 

22 Sep 2023 | New article by Jan Boon, Jan Wynen, Walter Daelemans, Jens Lemmens and Koen Verhoest on "" in Public Administration.

• Abstract: The news media frame political debate about public agencies, and enable legislators with incomplete information to monitor and act upon agency (mal)performance. While studies show that the news media matters for parliamentary attention, the contingent nature of this relation has been understudied. Building on agenda-setting theory, this study theorizes that the effect of newspaper coverage is contingent on the sentiment of coverage, the majority vs. opposition role of legislators, and the locus (committee vs. plenaries) of parliamentary questions. Supervised machine learning methods allow to code sentiment towards agencies in newspapers and parliament, after which a balanced panel relates these data to the questioning behavior of legislators in parliament over time. Results show that media attention for public agencies precedes parliamentary attention. Sentiment matters, as positive media attention, was related to (positive) parliamentary attention in the same month. Negative media attention had broader and more enduring influences on parliamentary questioning behavior.
  

20 Sep 2023 | Patricia Popelier and colleagues ask for respect for the rule of law in (in Dutch).

28 Aug 2023 | Patricia Popelier's opinion on the myth of the activist judges in  (in Dutch).

28 Aug 2023 | The TiGRE project released its White Paper. The White Paper provides a synthesis of the main TiGRE findings and develops scenarios and recommendations to maintain and restore trust in the area of regulatory governance. It is available for download .

22 Aug 2023 | Patricia Popelier presented her work on "Democracy and Federalism: Foes or Friends?" at Constate’s annual conference on federalism () taking place in Recife, Brazil, from 21 to 23 August 2023. Thanks to Marcelo Labanca, this conference has become the highlight of Brazilian federalism scholarship, bringing together the entire Brazilian community as well as international scholars in legal scholarship and political science.

11 Aug 2023 | New article by Emmanuel Dockx and Koen Verhoest on "" in Public Policy and Administration. 

• Abstract: Public sector innovation theory argues that the extent to which governments innovate is a question of factors such as capacity, collaboration, leadership, orientation, size, and autonomy. However, public sector organizations cannot be treated as uniform entities. Different units in an organization may have different challenges, networks, and exposure to innovation resources and pressures. Using multi-level survey data from Belgian federal and Flemish public sector managers (N=351), we provide important new knowledge to understand what characteristics and incentives at both levels (units and their organizations) should be promoted and leveraged to support managers’ perceived innovation outcomes.

24 Jul 2023 | New publication by Olivier Sempiga on "" in The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development.

• Abstract: Geopolitical risks (GPRs) have varied consequences over countries and over time. COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine are some of the recent GPRs. The conflict in Ukraine has had far-reaching economic consequences, not only for the countries directly involved in it but also for their trading partners and allies, and on the global economy in general. France, as one of Ukraine and Russia's major trading partners, has also felt the impact of the conflict on its economy. Using data from the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), the paper investigates the impact of GPRs caused by the war in Ukraine on price variation and citizen trust in France. The article conducts a multilinear regression analysis on datasets going back from immediately after the financial global crisis until the first quarter of 2023, with the war in Ukraine still ongoing. Results show that GPRs strongly affect the rise of prices of different products from oil products to food, beverages and other industry products, the association varying from strong to moderate. GPRs are also positively related to a reduction in citizen trust. The relationship between war and price, on the one hand, and the association between war and decrease in trust on the other, is confirmed by robustness checks.
  

​17 Jul 2023 | Several GOVTRUST members presented their work at last week's 9th Biennial Conference of the ECPR Standing Group on Regulatory Governance in Antwerp. Please find below a photo of (part of) the GOVTRUST team at the conference as well as an overview of all papers of GOVTRUST members at the conference.

• Explaining beneficiaries’ and regulatees’ trust in hybrid regulatory regimes: a conceptual framework –– Cassandra Willems, Universiteit Antwerpen
  
• Policy learning in EU renewable energy: what learning, how effective, and why? –– Bernardo Rangoni, Universiteit Antwerpen
  
• Varieties of ethics regulations in Westminster-style systems –– Susana Coroado, Universiteit Antwerpen
  
• The trade-off between political trust and voice behaviour –– Erasmus Häggblom, Bjorn Kleizen & Wouter Van Dooren, Universiteit Antwerpen
  
• Does independence increase trust in regulatory agencies? –– Tobias Bach, Universitetet i Oslo, Koen Verhoest, Universiteit Antwerpen, Martino Maggetti, Université de Lausanne, Jacint Jordana, Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals (IBEI) & Libby Maman, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  
• Does the Background of the Regulator Matter?  Representation, Critical Mass and Cultural Capture in Regulatory Bodies –– Ixchel Pérez-Durán, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Yannis Papadopoulos, Université de Lausanne, Bastiaan Redert, Universiteit Antwerpen & Juan Carlos Triviño Salazar, Universitat Pompeu Fabra
  
• Accountability, Expertise and Trust in Regulatory Agencies. Implications of representation: diversity within regulatory domains and actors –– Edoardo Guaschino, Université de Lausanne, Juan Carlos Triviño Salazar, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Ixchel Pérez-Durán, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Koen Verhoest, Universiteit Antwerpen & Bastiaan Redert, Universiteit Antwerpen
  
• Strengthening Stakeholder Trust: The Impact of Regulatory Accountability –– Jana Gómez Díaz, Jacint Jordana, Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals (IBEI), Moritz Kappler, Deutsche Hochschule für Verwaltungswissenschaften Speyer (DHV), Martino Maggetti, Université de Lausanne, Libby Maman, Hebrew University of Jerusalem & Koen Verhoest, Universiteit Antwerpen
• How interactions and trust between stakeholders relate in European regulatory regimes –– Bastiaan Redert & Koen Verhoest, Universiteit Antwerpen
• What shall we talk about?: How differences in interest group type and language matter for gaining influence in regulatory rulemaking –– Rik Joosen, Universiteit Antwerpen
  
• How Does the EU Reconcile Uniform Regulation with Legitimate Diversity? –– Bernardo Rangoni, Universiteit Antwerpen & Jonathan Zeitlin, University of Amsterdam
  
• Trust and watchfulness in regulatory intermediaries: drivers and effects –– David Levi-Faur, Hebrew University of Jerusalem & Koen Verhoest, Universiteit Antwerpen
  
• Towards a New Compulsory Licensing Mechanism for the EU for the Next (Health) Crisis? A Comparative Analysis of the Effectiveness of Compulsory Licensing Mechanisms –– Esther van Zimmeren, Universiteit Antwerpen
  
• From injury to injury: how administrative burdens spark secondary victimization crises, trust breakdowns and harmful psychosocial outcomes –– Bjorn Kleizen & Wouter Van Dooren, Universiteit Antwerpen
  
• Politicisation as a trigger for change in legislation: the case of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) –– Elena Escalante Block, Universiteit Antwerpen & Claudio Matera, Universiteit Twente
  
• Trust-building Mechanisms in New Judicial Actors – A Case ��������Ƶ of the Unified Patent Court –– Esther Van Zimmeren, Universiteit Antwerpen
  
• How multilevel governance structures and crisis mitigating measures impact political trust: a systematic literature review –– Jakob Frateur, Universiteit Antwerpen
• Knowing how it’s known: societal intelligence in crisis governance –– Chiara Russo, Universiteit Antwerpen
• How does the reputation of regulatory agencies affect citizens’ trust in the regulated companies? A panel study in the food safety sector –– Koen Verhoest, Universiteit Antwerpen, Jan Boon, Hasselt University, Jan Wynen, Universiteit Antwerpen & Steven De Vadder, Universiteit Antwerpen
  
• Platform-based mobility and regulatory challenges: Identifying the gaps in the passenger rights protection framework –– Hai Anh Le, Esther van Zimmeren & Wouter Verheyen, Universiteit Antwerpen
• Conceptualizing the implementation of decisions on environmental conflicts beyond the nation state –– Andreas Corcaci, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
  

14 Jul 2023 | From 12 to 14 July 2023, the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence hosted the 9th Biennial Conference of the ECPR Standing Group on Regulatory Governance in Antwerp. The Biennial Conference is the leading interdisciplinary conference on regulation and regulatory governance in Europe, attracting researchers from all over the globe working in a wide range of disciplines. This year's conference theme was: "Regulatory Governance in Times of Turbulence, Disruptive Technologies and Crises of Trust". Overall, the conference was an astounding success with an excellent group of 200 academics in the field of regulatory governance. Thanks to the unwavering commitment, insightful contributions, and active participation from all participants, we were able to create a stimulating and enriching environment. We are already looking forward to future collaborations and opportunities to reconvene.

12 Jul 2023 | As the H2020 TiGRE project comes to an end, its major findings and their practical implications for policy are presented in the . The Video Book comprises 7 chapters with a total of 31 short clips, covering the main findings of the TiGRE project and their practical implications for policy. The videos were recorded during the TiGRE 8th Consortium Meeting on 22 March 2023 at the University of Antwerp (except for the Chapter VI video clips).

12 Jul 2023 | The Horizon Europe-funded LEGITIMULT project, of which GOVTRUST/��������Ƶ is a core partner, has published its first deliverables. A total of are a great resource for academics and policy-makers to have an overview of the following topics: legitimate crisis governance; rule of law and democratic participation; non-discrimination; trust; and economic sustainability. The literature review paper on '' is authored by the ��������Ƶ team, including Jakob Frateur, Peter Bursens, Susana Duarte Coroado, and Patricia Popelier.

6 Jul 2023 | We received funding for the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence STRATEGO (EU Erasmus+ funding). Over the next three years, the STRATEGO team can create synergies in education, research and outreach under the theme “Sustainability and Trust in EU Multilevel Governance”. Find out more about the STRATEGO Centre and the team here.

Dat betekent dat we in de komende drie jaren synergiën kunnen creëren op gebied van onderwijs, onderzoek en outreach onder de thema-vlag “Sustainability and Trust in EU Multilevel Governance” (STRATEGO).

1 Jul 2023 | Andreas Corcaci officially joined the GOVTRUST team in July 2023. He kicked off his MSCA postdoctoral fellowship on "ENVIMP - Environmental resolution mechanisms beyond the nation state. A comparative analysis of the implementation of court judgements and managerial agreements". Welcome!

28 Jun 2023 | Koen Verhoest, Bjorn Kleizen and Erasmus Häggblom attended the 2023 Public Management Research Conference (PMRC), taking place 27-30 June 2023 at Utrecht University (Netherlands). Prof. Verhoest and his co-authors presented two papers on how a good reputation of a regulatory agency increases citizens' confidence in regulated companies and how the formal independence of regulatory agencies does or does not lead to more confidence. Both Bjorn Kleizen and Erasmus Häggblom presented papers on trust-related topics.

27 Jun 2023 | Prof.  (Pennsylvania State University, US and Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI), Spain) and dr. Silvia Cannas (IBEI, Spain) visited the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence and presented their work in a lunch seminar on "Administrative Law as a Network of Principles".

23 Jun 2023 | On June 23rd, dr. Dominika Proszowska was awarded the by the Polish Association for European Studies. Her dissertation “How People Trust Their Governments? Trends, Patterns and Determinants of Trust Differentiation in Multilevel Polities” received 1st prize as the best European Studies PhD dissertation defended in years 2021 and 2022. In their assessments, the committee members considered, among others, the novelty of the research, its scientific relevance and excellence. The award ceremony will take place in September 2023 during the 4th European Studies Conference in Cracow, Poland. Read the thesis summary . Download the online version of the full thesis . Congratulations on an outstanding achievement, Dominika!

8 Jun 2023 | New article by Bjorn Kleizen, Wouter Van Dooren, Koen Verhoest and Evrim Tan on "", published in Government Information Quarterly.

• Abstract: This study examines the impact of ethical AI information on citizens' trust in and policy support for governmental AI projects. Unlike previous work on direct users of AI, this study focuses on the general public. Two online survey experiments presented participants with information on six types of ethical AI measures: legal compliance, ethics-by-design measures, data-gathering limitations, human-in-the-loop, non-discrimination, and technical robustness. Results reveal that general ethical AI information has little to no effect on trust, perceived trustworthiness or policy support among citizens. Prior attitudes and experiences, including privacy concerns, trust in government, and trust in AI, instead form good predictors. These findings suggest that short-term communication efforts on ethical AI practices have minimal impact. The findings suggest that a more long-term, comprehensive approach is necessary to building trust in governmental AI projects, addressing citizens' underlying concerns and experiences. As governments' use of AI becomes more ubiquitous, understanding citizen responses is crucial for fostering trust, perceived trustworthiness and policy support for AI-based policies and initiatives.

2 Jun 2023 | Dominika Proszowska, together with co-authors Giedo Jansen and Bas Denters, received an honourable mention from Acta Politica for their paper "". Acta Politica awards a yearly prize to recognise the best contribution published in the journal. A jury consisting of the two editors-in-chief and five members of the journal's advisory board met in May to deliberate and make a final decision on the winners, who have just been announced in the context of the Politicologenetmaal Conference in Leuven. Congratulations!

• Abstract: Although the debate on roots of political trust is ongoing, many scholars agree on the relevance of such political factors as political/ideological distance between citizens and incumbents, political responsiveness and perceptions of performance. Less clear is to what extent such trust evaluations are generalized or specific for the three main political arenas in the European multilevel governance system (EU, national, local). With new data from the Netherlands, we demonstrate that trust in local, national and EU governments (1) is largely level-specific (i.e. is based on citizens’ perceptions of incumbents at a particular governance level) (2) and—at all three levels—is explained by level-specific political factors. This shows that political trust is a subjectively rational evaluation and that citizens develop meaningful political orientations vis-à-vis governments at different levels. Therefore, trust spillovers may be less relevant for explaining political trust in multilevel governance than assumed in previous research as executive governments at local, national and EU levels are judged “on their own turf”.

30 May 2023 | Koen Verhoest and Peter Bursens will again be involved in the second edition of the of the Belgian federal government. GoLD is a development programme of the FPS Policy & Support (BOSA) and aims to prepare civil servants for the public leadership and governance of tomorrow. GoLD is a 20-day training for 20 participants who follow an intensive 10-month program on governance and public leadership. It offers a varied programme, focusing on both an academic perspective and a practical focus. The first edition of the development programme ended a few weeks ago and we can already look forward to the second edition. ��������Ƶ's Politics & Public Governance research group (Koen Verhoest and Peter Bursens) is a partner in an interuniversity team that developed the GoLD programme, together with KU Leuven Public Governance Institute, ULB Institut Européen de Management Public, Ghent University, UCLouvain Institut de Sciences Politiques Louvain-Europe, and Université de Liège (Spiral) and supported by FPS Policy and Support.

24 May 2023 | Wouter Van Dooren on the  in Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch).

24 May 2023 | Koen Verhoest was nominated as member of the Advisory Group for the . At the federal government's request, there will be an independent audit of Belgium's crisis management during the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke and Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden have called in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to carry out an independent evaluation of the COVID-19 policy in Belgium. With this evaluation comes a thorough analysis of Belgian policy in the areas of risk prevention, crisis management, health, education, economic and fiscal affairs, labour market and social affairs. In order to gather insights from the academic and evaluation community, the OECD has proposed establishing an Advisory Group to provide advisory feedback at key points in the evaluation process. All members of the Advisory Group will be asked to participate in meetings and provide input and comments to the OECD at various key points in the evaluation process.

22 May 2023 | Bernardo Rangoni is excited to announce his new book, titled "", to be published in Oxford University Press. The book is scheduled to be actually published on 31 July 2023, but can already be pre-ordered.

• Description: What does non-hierarchical governance mean? Under what conditions are actors more likely to engage in non-hierarchical processes? Which trajectories best capture their long-term evolution? Through which mechanisms do they overcome gridlock?
  To respond to these questions at the heart of regulatory governance, the book develops an analytical framework that draws on contemporary debates but seeks to overcome their limitations. Notably, it offers a definition of non-hierarchical (experimentalist) governance that goes beyond institutional structures, giving due attention to actors' choices and strategies. It shows that contrary to expectations, functional and political pressures were more influential than distributions of legal power, and bolstered one another. Strong functional demands and political opposition affect actors' de facto capacity of using powers that, de jure, might be in their own hands. Indeed, actors can use non-hierarchical governance to aid learning as well as the creation of political support. Conversely, they may override legal constraints and impose their views on others, if they are equipped with confidence and powerful reform coalitions beforehand. The book also challenges conservative views that non-hierarchical governance is doomed to wither away, showing that, on the contrary, it is often self-reinforcing. Finally, the book shows that far from being mutually exclusive, positive (shadow of hierarchy) and negative (penalty default) mechanisms typically combine to avoid gridlock.
  The book examines when, how, and why non-hierarchical institutions affect policy processes and outcomes by analysing five crucial domains (electricity, gas, communications, finance, and pharmaceuticals) in the European Union. It combines temporal, cross-sectoral, and within-case comparisons with process-tracing to show the conditions, trajectories, and mechanisms of non-hierarchical governance.

17 May 2023 | Ria Janvier regularly provides expertise on pension-related topics in the media.

• On the , 15 May 2023 in Gazet van Antwerpen (in Dutch)
• On the , 27 April 2023 in www.apache.be (in Dutch)
• On the , 20 April 2023 in De Tijd (in Dutch)
• On the , 19 April 2023 in De Tijd (in Dutch)

12 May 2023 | The partners in the consortium gathered in Bergen for a 2-day meeting to exchange views and discuss the developments of the project. Each partner presented their WP and engaged in constructive and rich discussions to prepare for the next steps in the research. 

The consortium partners are:

• Eurac Research, Italy (coordinator)
  
• University of Bergen, Norway
  
• Leiden University, the Nederlands
  
• Institute for Ethnic Studies (IES / Inštitut za narodnostna vprašanja – INV), Slovenia
  
• University of Antwerp, Belgium
  
• National Distance Education University (UNED), Spain
  
• Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
  
• University of Zagreb, Croatia
  
• International IDEA, Sweden
  
• University of Fribourg, Switzerland
  
• The Forum of Federations, Canada

21 April 2023 | Karolien Poels on in Het Kwartier, podcast VRTNWS (in Dutch).

20 Apr 2023 | New book chapter on "", authored by Olivier Sempiga and Luc Van Liedekerke in the edited volume 'Investment Strategies - New Advances and Challenges'.

• Abstract: We live in a world full of global challenges, such as global warming, the COVID-19 pandemic, and only recently the Russia-Ukraine crisis, all of which confirm that we live in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world. Most of these challenges are considered to be wicked problems. For many decades, wicked problems have been viewed as difficult, even impossible to solve. This chapter examines how institutions can navigate the VUCA world through investing in SDG so as to solve wicked problems. The chapter argues that adopting socially responsible investment as a strategy allows both private and public organizations to improve economic, social, and environmental performance; and is a fine way of investing in SDG, which could be a long-term solution to wicked problems. Using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), the chapter examines the relationship between SDG investment and climate change solutions at the local level. Results show a significant effect of investment in SDGs on a solution to wicked problems like climate change. The chapter concludes that the difficulty or impossibility of solving global challenges is likely to be caused by a lack of investment in the SDGs.

​17 Apr 2023 | New article by Bernardo Rangoni on  in Rivista Italiana di Politiche Pubbliche (in Italian).

• Abstract: For decades, strategies granting discretion to ‘lower-level actors’ to propose solutions themselves had become preferred to conventional command and control – the hierarchical imposition and enforcement of stable rules. Yet after the 2008 financial crisis, also these alternatives (e.g., principles-based regulation) are under pressure. Which strategy prevails today, and why? By comparing two crucial yet different cases, the article finds that, in both EU digital and pharmaceutical regulation, the dominant strategy is experimentalist. This emphasises not only discretion but also regular revisions based on review of implementation experience. It is driven by uncertainty about the best solutions, as perceived by the relevant actors. Since uncertainty pervades most contemporary policy challenges, the future of regulation and public policy more broadly is thus likely to be experimentalist.
  

28 Mar 2023 | Ria Janvier on the independence and neutrality of civil servants and their statutory employment in the Flemish government in and (in Dutch).

24 Mar 2023 | Esther van Zimmeren talks about the connection between trust and the legal profession in an interview for the TrustTalk podcast. Listen to the interview on the  or on any of your favorite podcast platforms.​

23 Mar 2023 | (​Hybrid event: Brussels and online). On 23 March 2023, the TiGRE project organised its second Stakeholder Forum meeting in order to present the key research findings from our studies of trust relationships in governance. The meeting included three panel sessions, which gave insights into specificities and evidence gathered for each sector under scrutiny in TiGRE: Food Safety, Finance and Data Protection. The panel sessions gathered various practitioners and stakeholders whose inputs and feedback were collected during lively round tables.
The Stakeholder Forum meeting was followed by a two-hours public workshop entitled "TiGRE White Paper". During the workshop, participants had the opportunity to discuss and reflect upon the innovative policy design and tools developed within the TiGRE project, i.e. criteria, indicators and early warning mechanisms for detecting weak signals of decreasing trust, as well as scenarios on consequences of decreasing trust. In addition, to networking opportunities within TiGRE consortium and with other attendees, the stakeholders' inputs were valuable for refining the TiGRE White Paper which will integrate the research findings and be published in the second half of 2023.
The presentation slides are now available for download: 

22 Mar 2023 | The  consortium had its 8th Consortium Meeting on 22 March 2023, hosted by GOVTRUST at the University of Antwerp! In addition to planning the final steps over the last six months in TiGRE, the consortium partners discussed how to integrate the key project results in scientific publications, policy briefs, white paper etc. in order to maximise outreach and impact of research on trust. In line with this strategy, most of the participants contributed to the video shooting which ran parallel to the scientific meeting. A set of short videos will be produced presenting the key results of the project, main challenges, use for practitioners and other stakeholders, next steps after TiGRE etc. Videos will be released soon: stay tuned!

18 Mar 2023 | Karolien Poels on in De Standaard (in Dutch).

17 Mar 2023 | Ria Janvier about the in Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch).

15 Mar 2023 | Peter Bursens on in Knack (in Dutch).

7 Mar 2023 | Patricia Popelier critically reflects on the in a column in Jubel (in Dutch).

3 Mar 2023 | Ria Janvier on maximum pensions in Belgium in  and (in Dutch).

1 Mar 2023 | Karolien Poels about in De Standaard (in Dutch).

28 Feb 2023 | Patricia Popelier on N-VA's proposal for in De Standaard (in Dutch).

14 Feb 2023 | Koen Verhoest will participate as an international expert in the Advisory Group on methodology and implementation of the .  

1 Feb 2023 | New article by Chesney Callens and Koen Verhoest on "" in Public Management Review.

• Abstract: In recent years, collaborative innovation of public services has become a growing research field. However, how collaborative arrangements lead to innovation remains quite unclear. We propose that collaborative innovation is dependent on processes of divergence and convergence, which are enhanced by four conditions of collaborative innovation: diversity of ideas and perspectives, learning through interaction, consensus building, and implementation commitment. The combination of these conditions is explored through qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) in 19 European eHealth partnerships. The results suggest a combined effect of these conditions on service innovativeness, which rejects contemporary views on the dichotomous nature of divergence and convergence.
  

1 Feb 2023 | The GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence is proud to host the 2023 Biennial Conference of the ECPR Standing Group on Regulatory Governance in Antwerp on 12-14 July 2023. Check out the call for panels and papers and submit your proposal by March 15th, 2023 via the event webpage: ​

30 Jan 2023 | Patricia Popelier discusses the implementation of 'extra-legal' state reforms in VRT News' "" and Radio 1's "" (in Dutch).

30 Jan 2023 | Ria Janvier talks about the in a radio interview with VRT Radio 1's "De Wereld Vandaag" (in Dutch).

26 Jan 2023 | Bas Redert and Rik Joosen received funding for a BOF Small Project on "The EU Principal Agent Authority (EUPAA) dataset". Congrats!

26 Jan 2023 | Bjorn Kleizen received funding for a BOF Small Project on "Time to give up? Establishing a survey panel on how accumulations of interactions with government affect psychosocial well-being and citizen decisions to give up during procedures". Congrats!

20 Jan 2023 | New paper by Bernardo Rangoni and Mark Thatcher on "" in the EIQ Discussion Paper Series at LSE.

• Abstract: While much attention has been given to ‘de-politicisation’, its reversal through ‘re-politicisation’ is also possible. We examine ‘institutional re-politicisation’ - increases in the formal powers and discretion of elected politicians’ - in hard cases - policies for regulating Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions (CBMAs), focusing specifically on Britain and Italy. While existing explanations of increased powers and discretion for elected politicians to block or shape overseas takeovers focus on economic vulnerabilities created by the Covid pandemic and security concerns vis-à-vis China, using process tracing and comparison we show that, in both countries, the change of tide towards re-politicisation actually begun earlier. We find that it followed specificCBMAs in sectors such as chocolate and dairy products that were contested by political parties from the Right and Left and producer interests, who shared arguments about defending national culture and heritage. The cases suggest there is considerable scope for re-politicisation thanks to a wide coalition that shares arguments based on defending national identity.

3 Jan 2023 | officially joined the GOVTRUST team in December 2022. He kicked off his MSCA postdoctoral fellowship on "REGTRUST - How Nature of Regulation and Levels of Trust Affect Each Other Over Time: The Case of Financial Regulation in the EU". In line with this project, he recently published two articles in Governance:

• Thatcher, M., Sweet, A. S., & Rangoni, B. (2023). . Governance, 36(1), 5-22. DOI: 10.1111/gove.12709
  
• Rangoni, B., & Thatcher, M. (2023). . Governance, 36(1), 81-103. DOI: 10.1111/gove.12722
  

3 Jan 2023 | New book chapter by Stéphanie De Somer and Jasper Van Steenbergen on "" (publication in Dutch: Kan elke ambtenaar worden verplicht om 'Zwitserland te zijn'? Een analyse vanuit de fundamentele rechten en vrijheden). The chapter is part of the book "", edited by Pierre Nihoul, Bernadette Renauld and Jan Theunis.

• Abstract: This chapter approaches the neutrality of public servants from the point of view of civil and political rights. The authors highlight some recent developments in European and national case law from the point of view of the right not to be discriminated against and freedom of religion. However, special attention is paid to a fundamental right that has hitherto received less attention in this context: freedom of expression. The duty of discretion and the duty of loyalty that rest on civil servants mean a certain limitation of that fundamental right. In their contribution, the authors examine what the judiciary can teach us about this difficult balancing act.

2 Jan 2023 | Season's Greetings - From all of us at GOVTRUST, we send our warmest wishes for a happy holiday season. May your new year be filled with joy, success and trust! To stay up to date with the latest GOVTRUST news in 2023, you can check out this webpage, follow the  or subscribe to the GOVTRUST Newsletter.

17 Nov 2022 | Koen Verhoest participated as an expert in the  in Luxembourg on 17 November 2022 on the theme of “Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy”. The Global Forum event was built on the existing OECD Reinforcing Democracy Initiative, and was underpinned by the results from the first OECD Survey on the Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions. The event was an opportunity for a strategic exchange amongst Ministers from OECD Member and non-Member countries, international organisations, civil society and the private sector, to chart the way forward for addressing key public governance challenges in order to build trust and strengthen democracy. The day-long event concluded with a Global High-Level Dialogue on Reinforcing Democracy and discussions to inform the OECD Public Governance Ministerial on “Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy” taking place on 18 November.

16 Nov 2022 | Prof. Kathryn Wright (York Law School, UK) visited the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence and presented her work in a lunch seminar on "Trust between regulators".

25 Oct 2022 | New article "" by Chesney Callens, Jan Wynen, Jan Boon and Koen Verhoest in Public Policy and Administration.

• Abstract: Public service innovation involves a process of creative exploration of new ideas, knowledge and perspectives. The article poses that creative exploration emerges from the combination of a climate for creativity that is active inside the organization, and collaborations with diverse actors that are present outside the organization. We test the effect of these conditions on innovation using data from the Australian Public Service. Our findings demonstrate that both a climate for creativity and collaborative diversity are positively related to innovation, yet a tipping point exists at which the positive effects of collaborative diversity on innovation turn negative.
  

22 Oct 2022 | Karolien Poels on our smartphone usage and the emotional effects of digital media in (in Dutch).

17 Oct 2022 | The kick-off meeting for the Horizon Europe LEGITIMULT project on 'Legitimate Crisis Governance in Multilevel Systems' took place on 17-18 October 2022 at Eurac Research in Bolzano, Italy. ��������Ƶ/GOVTRUST is a partner in the project, with participation of Patricia Popelier, Peter Bursens and Maja Sahadzic. With the kick-off meeting, the project has now officially been launched.

14 Oct 2022 | Koen Verhoest and Esther van Zimmeren participated in a  Conversation on "Trust as a constitutional pre-condition for good regulation and enforcement" at the Utrecht Centre for Regulation and Enforcement in Europe (Utrecht University). 

6 Oct 2022 | The kick-off meeting for the Horizon Europe ROBUST project on 'Robust Crisis Governance in Turbulent Times' took place on 6-7 October 2022 at Roskilde University, Denmark. ��������Ƶ/GOVTRUST is a core partner in the project, with participation of Koen Verhoest and Wouter Van Dooren. With the kick-off meeting, the project has now officially been launched.

23 Sep 2022 | The was kicked off with four days of creative brainstorming at the University of Tilburg. CONTRA aims to get a better understanding of productive conflict in urban transformations. The kick-off included experimentation with various theatrical techniques as a way to prepare for the launch of the Drama Labs. In addition, there were fruitful online meetings with the city partners of Gdynia, Genk and Drammen. 

14 Sep 2022 | Koen Verhoest participated in the meeting of the Advisory Group on the . The Advisory Group meeting discussed results of the inaugural 2021 Trust Survey and next steps, ways to leverage the results for policy-oriented analysis, methodological choices to continuously improve the survey’s quality and the 2024 OECD Trust Survey.

9 Sep 2022 | Koen Verhoest co-chaired a panel session about "" which was held as part of the  on 06-09 September 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal.

2 Sep 2022 | We can look back on a successful first edition of the GOVTRUST Summer School on 'A Multi-Level Perspective on Trust and Public Governance', which took place 29 August to 2 September 2022 in Antwerp. 24 participants from various parts of the world joined us to gain a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics, causes and effects of trust in and between societal actors in multi-level public governance. Through a combination of (guest) lectures, discussions and workshops, participants were stimulated to think across disciplinary boundaries, interact with each other and engage with speakers. 

We kicked off the GOVTRUST Summer School with a keynote by Monica Brezzi from the OECD Directorate for Public Governance. In her keynote address, she talked about the OECD's work on trust in public institutions, including the updated OECD framework on drivers of trust in public institutions and the results from the recent OECD Trust Survey.

The GOVTRUST Summer School also brought us to the FASFC (Federal Food Safety Agency) in Brussels. Based on recent results from the EU TiGRE project, participants reflected on the importance of trust in the regulatory system of the food safety sector. We thank the FASFC hosts and stakeholders for their time and gracious hospitality.

28 Jul 2022 | Koen Verhoest and Wouter Van Dooren are partners in the new BELSPO BRAIN project BeCoDigital on "Digital Co-Creation of Public Services with Citizens: Understanding Pre-Conditions, Technologies and Outcomes".

19 Jul 2022 | Public Administration research at the University of Antwerp is ranked 22nd (1st in Belgium) on the .

4 Jul 2022 | The first team meeting of the new Public Governance and Leadership Programme of the Belgian Federal Government discussed the content and the coherence of the programme (see photo below). ��������Ƶ's Politics & Public Governance research group is a partner in an interuniversity team together with KU Leuven Public Governance Institute, ULB Institut Européen de Management Public, Ghent University, UCLouvain Institut de Sciences Politiques Louvain-Europe, and Université de Liège (Spiral) and supported by FPS Policy and Support.

2 Jul 2022 | New article on "" by Chesney Callens in Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory. 

• Abstract: Although scholars recognize that involving service users in public-private collaborations is beneficial for innovating public services, much is still unknown about the specific conditions under which these benefits arise. This article identifies three important enablers for innovation through user involvement: 1) the empowerment of users, 2) the presence of specialized knowledge of the users, and 3) the absence of hindering rules and procedures. These three conditions are tested through fsQCA on a rich data set from 132 interviews and 124 surveys from 19 cases in five European countries, and the results indicate that the combined effect of these conditions on innovation is contingent on the roles of the users in different types of user-oriented innovation processes. We identify three user roles: user-innovators, codesigners, and advisors.

23 Jun 2022 | Call for abstracts from the NIG Annual Work Conference 2022. Dominika Proszowska (GOVTRUST & PPG) and Lisa van Dijk (KU Leuven) are chairing a . Deadline for submission is July 1st.

22 Jun 2022 | received funding for his MSCA postdoctoral fellowship project called REGTRUST 'How Nature of Regulation and Levels of Trust Affect Each Other Over Time: The Case of Financial Regulation in the EU' (2022-2024). Bernardo will join GOVTRUST and the Politics & Public Governance research group as of December 2022.

11 Jun 2022 | On 9-11 June 2022, Koen Verhoest participated in the Transatlantic Dialogue (TAD), hosted by Roskilde University. The theme of  was "Strategic Management of Public Sector Transformation in Turbulent Times: Enhancing Collaborative Governance and Co-creation of Public Value". Koen Verhoest, together with Jodi Sandfort, chaired a workshop on "Public innovation through public-private collaboration: governance, structure, processes and trust".

10 Jun 2022 | GOVTRUST members are involved in two new Horizon Europe projects. Patricia Popelier and Peter Bursens are partners in the LEGITIMULT project on 'Legitimate Crisis Management and Multi-level Governance'. Koen Verhoest and Wouter Van Dooren are partners in the ROBUST project on 'Robust Crisis Governance in Turbulent Times: Mindset, Evidence, Strategies'. Both projects were submitted under the same Horizon Europe call (), but prove to be very complementary, allowing for interesting synergies. Both projects are getting ready to be launched on October 1st, 2022. These projects allow the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence, together with the research groups Politics & Public Governance and Government & Law, to hire 3 new researchers (1 postdoc, 2 PhD) to join the project teams.

8 Jun 2022 | The members of the were happy to meet each other for our sixth consortium meeting in Utrecht (see photo below). The consortium meeting was followed by the , with several roundtables on publication strategies and career development.

3 Jun 2022 | New book titled "" edited by Christopher Lord, Peter Bursens, Dirk De Bièvre, Jarle Tronda and Ramses A. Wessel. Also with contributions from Bastiaan Redert, Dominika Proszowska and Elena Escalante Block.

31 May 2022 | Two GOVTRUST-supported researchers received funding for their FWO junior postdoctoral fellowship projects. Rik Joosen will conduct research on 'Using stakeholders strategically to gain authority over principals in the EU'. Bjorn Kleizen will conduct research on 'How the accumulation of administrative encounters can erode trust in government and create psychological harm'. Congrats to Rik and Bjorn!

30 May 2022 | Wouter Van Dooren on civil servants striking as a result of lack of political choices in (in Dutch).

19 May 2022 | New article on "" by François Randour, Peter Bursens and Thomas Laloux in the Journal of Legislative Studies. 

4 May 2022 | During a team meeting of the GOVTRUST consortium, we looked back on the activities of 2021 and the state of affairs in regards to our goals. We also discussed some challenges that remain and some concrete ideas/initiatives that are in the pipeline. After the meeting, we enjoyed a nice dinner (see photo below).

2 May 2022 | Wouter Van Dooren's opinion on Oosterweel, the new highway infrastructure in Antwerp, in  (in Dutch).

26 Apr 2022 | New article on "" by Patricia Popelier, Monika Glavina, Federica Baldan and Esther van Zimmeren in Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law.

25 Apr 2022 | Bjorn Kleizen, Wouter Van Dooren and Koen Verhoest wrote a chapter "Trustworthiness in an era of data analytics: what are governments dealing with and how is civil society responding?" in the newly published book edited by Evrim Tan and Joep Crompvoets.

17 Mar 2022 | Cathering Van de Heyning on in an opinion piece in De Standaard (in Dutch).

10 Mar 2022 | Wouter Van Dooren on the commotion around childcare and the in a radio interview with VRT Radio 1's "De Wereld Vandaag" (in Dutch).

8 Mar 2022 | Interview with Catherine Van de Heyning on for Radio 2 Antwerp (in Dutch).

28 Feb 2022 | Heidi Vandebosch on in Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch).

22 Feb 2022 | Karolien Poels on the in De Morgen (in Dutch).

21 Feb 2022 | New article on "" by Jan Wynen, Sophie Op de Beeck, Koen Verhoest, Monika Glavina, Frédérique Six, Pierre Van Damme, Phillipe Beutels, Greet Hendrickx and Koen Pepermans in Administration & Society.

17 Feb 2022 | Heidi Vandebosch on the 'labour deal' and in De Standaard (in Dutch).

11 Feb 2022 | Karolien Poels on the in Gazet van Antwerpen (in Dutch).

11 Feb 2022 | Catherine Van de Heyning and Michel Walrave reflect on in De Standaard (in Dutch), based on their findings from the @ntidote project.

2 Feb 2022 | Catherine Van de Heyning on the increasingly growing phenomenon of  in a radio interview with VRT Radio 1's "De Wereld van Sofie" (in Dutch).

31 Jan 2022 | Wouter Van Dooren coordinates the ��������Ƶ involvement in the new JPI Urban Europe project on 'Conflict in Transformations' (CONTRA). Esther van Zimmeren is one of the co-promoters.

17 Jan 2022 | Announcing the GOVTRUST Annual Symposium 2022 on "Trust and the Governance of Technology", taking place on Thursday 17 February 2022, 14:00 - 17:00 CET. Find out more and register.

14 Jan 2022 | New article on "" by Michel Walrave, Cato Waeterloos and Koen Ponnet in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance.

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14 Dec 2021 | Koen Verhoest presented his work on ‘’ (in Dutch) in the webinar series of the KU Leuven Public Governance Institute.​

13 Dec 2021 | Stéphanie De Somer on the  in De Standaard (in Dutch).

10 Dec 2021 | Patricia Popelier on the in De Tijd (in Dutch).

6 Dec 2021 | Karolien Poels on how to in De Morgen (in Dutch).

3 Dec 2021 | Heidi Vandebosch on in De Standaard (in Dutch).

24 Nov 2021 | New article on "" by Peter Bursens and Dirk De Bièvre in Regional & Federal Studies.

24 Nov 2021 | Patricia Popelier on the in Knack (in Dutch).

22 Nov 2021 | Karolien Poels on the on Terzake (Canvas): "What brings them together is distrust" (in Dutch).

15 Nov 2021 | Peter Bursens, Patricia Popelier and Petra Meier wrote a chapter on "Belgium’s response to COVID-19: How to manage a pandemic in a competitive federal system?" in the book  edited by Rupak Chattopadhyay et al.

6 Nov 2021 | Karolien Poels on the in De Morgen (in Dutch).

5 Nov 2021 | Michel Walrave on in Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch).

31 Oct 2021 | New article on "" by Sharon Belli and Peter Bursens in Journal of European Public Policy.​

27 Oct 2021 | Patricia Popelier and Peter Bursens wrote a chapter on "Managing the Covid-19 crisis in a divided Belgian Federation: Cooperation against all odds" in the book  edited By Nico Steytler.​

25 Oct 2021 | Prof. Dominika Latusek-Jurczak (Department of Management & Center for Trust Research, Kozminski University, Poland) visited the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence and presented her work in a lunch seminar on "Trust and Distrust in Institutions".

8 Oct 2021 | New report "" by Frederik Stevens and Peter Bursens. BRIDGE (Brexit Research and Interchange on Differentiated Governance in Europe) is a three-year (2019-2022) Jean Monnet Network funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme.

8 Oct 2021 | Prof. Tobias Bach (Department of Political Science, University of Oslo, Norway) visited the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence and presented his work in a lunch seminar on "Citizen’s Trust in Bureaucracies".

8 Oct 2021 | New article on "" by Jordy Weyns and Peter Bursens in Politics of the Low Countries.​

7 Oct 2021 | New article on "" by Frédérique Six, Steven de Vadder, Monika Glavina, Koen Verhoest and Koen Pepermans in Regulation & Governance.​

23 Sep 2021 | Karolien Poels on the in Gazet van Antwerpen (in Dutch).​

15 Sep 2021 | New article on "" by John Salazar, Jose Guevara and Koen Verhoest in Journal of Management in Engineering.​

14 Sep 2021 | Karolien Poels answers questions from viewers about vaccination on VRTNWS' Facebook Live -  (in Dutch)

13 Sep 2021 | Wouter Van Dooren on a in Gazet van Antwerpen (in Dutch).​

6 Sep 2021 | Prof. Joe Hamm and Prof. Caitlin Cavanagh (School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, United States) visited the GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence and presented their work in a lunch seminar on "Trust, Vulnerability and the Justice System".

6 Sep 2021 | Karolien Poels on the arguments of non-vaccinated citizens in Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). ​

18 Aug 2021 | New article on "Bullying and Harassment as a Consequence of Workplace Change in the Australian Civil Service" by Bjorn Kleizen, Jan Wynen, Jan Boon and Jolijn de Roover in Review of Public Personnel Administration. ​

10 Aug 2021 | New article on "Fatal remedies. How dealing with policy conflict can backfire in a context of trust-erosion" by Eva Wolf and Wouter Van Dooren in Governance. ​

2 Aug 2021 | New project “Towards a renewed control and performance assessment of the housing sector” (2021) was approved and funded by Flemish Minister for Finance and Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage. The project is promoted by Wouter Van Dooren (in collaboration with Koen Verhoest, Sien Winters and DiederikVermeir), as part of the .

2 Aug 2021 | New blog post by Frédérique Six on "How do organizing principles affect how citizens experience government trust or distrust?". ​

28 Jul 2021 | Karolien Poels on the importance of the right information in order to convince vaccine doubters to get vaccinated on VRT NWS Coronablog (in Dutch). ​

26 Jul 2021 | Patricia Popelier on the (interdisciplinary) work of the research group Government & Law in an extensive podcast interview by Doorbraak Radio (in Dutch). ​

16 Jul 2021 | New article on "Representation in Demoicracies. Contributions from Belgian Federalism for the Conference on the Future of Europe" by Peter Bursens and Petra Meier published in European Law Journal. ​

16 Jun 2021 | Karolien Poels on getting vaccinated in De Standaard (in Dutch). ​

15 Jun 2021 | New article on 'Health Crisis Measures and Standards for Fair Decision-Making: A Normative and Empirical-Based Account of the Interplay Between Science, Politics and Courts' by Patricia Popelier et al. published in European Journal of Risk Regulation. ​

31 May 2021 | The @ntidote project focuses on the use of social media as a platform of content that may constitute cyberviolence. The project published a state of the art presenting the main research questions in the field. ​

27 May 2021 | New project InnoFINS on 'Implementing innovative financing for nature-based solutions in Flemish cities' was funded by FWO-SBO (2021-2025). The project is led by the University of Antwerp's Urban Studies Institute (promotor: Tom Coppens) and co-promoted by Wouter Van Dooren.

26 May 2021 | Public Administration research at University of Antwerp ranked 20th (1st in Belgium) on .

1 May 2021 | Check out the personal website of Frédérique Six, which holds various blog posts on trust, governance, control and integrity (only in Dutch). The most recent blog post is titled "From distrust to trust: citizens back in the picture". ​

30 Apr 2021 | Patricia Popelier on the design of the pandemic law in De Tijd (in Dutch). ​

29 Apr 2021 | Esther van Zimmeren on the revocation of vaccine patents in a radio interview with VRT Radio 1's "De Wereld Vandaag" (in Dutch). ​

29 Apr 2021 | Peter Bursens, Petra Meier and Patricia Populier presented their paper on "When Dual Federalism Meets External Crises" at the UACES-JMCT Workshop on Conceptualising Crisis in Territotrial Politcs (online).

27 Apr 2021 | Karolien Poels on the vaccination delay in Brussels in De Morgen (in Dutch). ​

26 Apr 2021 | Patricia Popelier on the coronavirus crisis and the federal state structure in Belgium in De Standaard (in Dutch). ​

26 Apr 2021 | Patricia Popelier delivers a perspective on a potential new state reform in an opinion piece in De Standaard (in Dutch). ​

15 Apr 2021 | New article on "Trust and Vaccine Hesitancy in Flanders: The influence of trust in government and in experts on the intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19" by Jan Wynen et al. published in VTOM - Vlaams Tijdschrift voor Overheidsmanagement (in Dutch). ​

15 Apr 2021 | Patricia Popelier on the new pandemic law in De Standaard (in Dutch). ​

14 Apr 2021 | Karolien Poels on the vaccination intention in Brussels and Wallonia in De Morgen (in Dutch). ​

1 Apr 2021 | New book chapter by Petra Meier and Peter Bursens on "Belgium: The Democratic State of the Federation". ​

23 Mar 2021 | Koen Verhoest deliverd a presentation on intersectoral collaboration (based on PSI-CO and TROPICO projects) as invited speaker at the International Smart City Symposium, organised by CityLAB Berlin, Hertie School of Governance.

16 Mar 2021 | The first policy brief of the EU H2020 TiGRE project on "Assessing social and political trust: a systematic review" has been published. ​

15 Mar 2021 | Karolien Poels on the influence of the news media on vaccine trust in Knack (in Dutch). ​

12 Mar 2021 | New project "@ntidote – Cyberviolence: defining borders on permissibility and accountability", coordinated by Michel Walrave. Read more​

11 Mar 2021 | New article by Frédérique Six and colleauges on "Relational leadership in collaborative governance ecosystems" in Public Management Review. ​

10 Mar 2021 | Frédérique Six on trust and distrust at work in an interview on De Nieuwe Wereld TV (in Dutch). ​

10 Mar 2021 | Koen Verhoest presented the work on 'How to Collaborate for Innovation'  (based on PSI-CO and TROPICO projects) for senior researchers at Sciensano.

8 Mar 2021 | New book titled "Dynamic Federalism. A New Theory for Cohesion and Regional Autonomy" by Patricia Popelier. ​

2 Mar 2021 | Video recordings from the TROPICO Online Summit 2020 are now available. ​

1 Mar 2021 | Patricia Popelier on the pandemic law and unconstitutionality in De Standaard (in Dutch). ​

28 Feb 2021 | Patricia Popelier in a debate on the corona measures on ATV (in Dutch). ​

24 Feb 2021 | New paper on "Repetitive reform: Doing more harm than good?" by Jan Wynen, Koen Verhoest, Jan Boon, Bjorn Kleizen, Dries Van Doninck, Danika Pieters & Stephanie Verlinden in Esade. ​

24 Feb 2021 | Koen Verhoest and Emmanuel Dockx presented their work on 'Innovation through Collaboration and Co-creation' in the webinar series organised by the Flemish government's Senior Civil Service (Voorzitterscollege).

24 Feb 2021 | Patricia Popelier on proxies for the corona measures in Knack (in Dutch). ​

17 Feb 2021 | Patricia Popelier on a pandemic law and the legal basis for the corona measures in Knack (in Dutch). ​

16 Feb 2021 | Patricia Popelier on the legal basis for the corona measures in De Wereld Vandaag, Radio 1 (in Dutch). ​

11 Feb 2021 | New book chapter by Peter Bursens on "Recalibration of executive–legislative relations in the European Union: strategies inspired by the trilemma of democracy, sovereignty and integration". ​

5 Feb 2021 | Koen Verhoest presented the research on trust in government and compliance with corona measures at UA's Lesson of the Century on "Corona-related Social Science Research" (in Dutch; targeted at 16-18 year old secondary school students). ​

5 Feb 2021 | Karolien Poels presented her research on addressing concerns on the COVID-19 vaccines through appropriate communication at UA's Lesson of the Century on "Corona-related Social Science Research" (in Dutch; targeted at 16-18 year old secondary school students).  

4 Feb 2021 | Peter Bursens on the power of the member states in the EU in Trends (Knack) (in Dutch). ​

4 Feb 2021 | Karolien Poels on vaccination hesitancy among youth in De Morgen (in Dutch). ​

29 Jan 2021 | The GOVTRUST Centre of Excellence held its first (online) Annual Symposium on the theme of "Trust and the COVID-19 Crisis: Regulation and Compliance in Multi-level Governance". Look back at the Symposium with presentations and recording now available.

13 Jan 2021 | Opinion piece by Wouter Van Dooren and Stefaan Walgrave on the vaccination campaign in Belgium in De Morgen (in Dutch). ​

8 Jan 2021 | Special issue VTOM (Vlaams Tijdschrift voor Overheidsmanagement; 2020-4) on innovation in the public sector. Editorial freely available (in Dutch). ​

6 Jan 2021 | Patricia Popelier on a pandemic law in De Morgen (in Dutch). ​

6 Jan 2021 | Patricia Popelier on a pandemic law in De Standaard (in Dutch). ​

4 Jan 2021 | New report on the reactions of citizens on Covid-19 exit measures (in Dutch). Read more​

4 Jan 2021 | TiGRE Webinar series on “Trust & Regulatory Governance in an Age of Crisis” is extended with new sessions. ​

30 Dec 2020 | New book chapter by Frédérique Six on "Trust-based accountability in education: the role of intrinsic motivation". ​

27 Dec 2020 | Blog by Michel Walrave and colleagues on the use of and the concerns regarding the Coronalert-app in the UA Coronablog (in Dutch). ​

27 Dec 2020 | Michel Walrave and colleagues on the untapped potential of the Coronalert-app in Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). ​

17 Dec 2020 | Webinar on "Trust & Rule Compliance" by Frédérique Six and Monika Glavina. ​

17 Dec 2020 | New article by Peter Bursens and Petra Meier on “Belgian federalism 4.0 : EU inspired ways forward”. ​

14 Dec 2020 | New article by Patricia Popelier on crisis management by ministerial decree (in Dutch). ​

14 Dec 2020 | Blog by Simone Krouwer, Karolien Poels and Heidi Vandebosch on trust in the COVID-19 vaccines in the UA Coronablog (in Dutch). ​

9 Dec 2020 | New book chapter by Patricia Popelier on “The Duty of Parliament to Adopt Reliable Legislation: Linking Trust in Parliament with Legitimate Expectations”. ​

23 Nov 2020 | The University of Antwerp launched its new website, check out the ​

18 Nov 2020 | Webinar on "Trust & Vaccination" by Koen Verhoest, Sophie Op de Beeck and Monika Glavina. 

17 Nov 2020 | Frédérique Six on the conditions for success of open norms in regulation in Toezine (in Dutch). ​

8 Nov 2020 | Discover the story behind the TiGRE project in their new ​

5 Nov 2020 | Webinar series on "Trust & Regulatory Governance in an Age of Crisis" organised by the TiGRE project, with GOVTRUST contributions. ​

4 Nov 2020 | De Standaard reports on citizens' increasing trust in the corona approach (Corona ��������Ƶ; in Dutch). ​

4 Nov 2020 | De Tijd reports on increasing trust in the federal government (Corona ��������Ƶ; in Dutch). ​

4 Nov 2020 | Patricia Popelier, Catherine Van De Heyning and colleagues propose to advise government as a legal task force in De Standaard (in Dutch). ​

2 Nov 2020 | Patricia Popelier, Catherine Van De Heyning and colleagues call for a corona-law to back restrictions in De Standaard (in Dutch). ​

23 Oct 2020 | New report on collaboration and innovation in the public sector:  (in Dutch).

23 Oct 2020 | New report on collaboration and innovation in the public sector:  (in Dutch).

22 Oct 2020 | Paper on vaccination intention and trust in government and experts presented at the digital conference 'Political Trust in Crisis'. ​

21 Oct 2020 | Patricia Popelier on the legality of corona measures in De Standaard (in Dutch). 

20 Oct 2020 | Patricia Popelier on a legal framework to support the corona measures in De Standaard (in Dutch). ​

12 Oct 2020 | Wouter Van Dooren on imposing a late-night curfew in Het Parool (in Dutch). 

1 Oct 2020 | Interview given by Peter Bursens on Belgium's new government delays and potential implications in Euronews . 

25 Sep 2020 | New article by Patricia Popelier on "COVID-19 legislation in Belgium at the crossroads of a political and a health crisis". 

4 Sep 2020 | Paper on trust and rule compliance during the COVID-19 crisis presented at the online EGPA conference. Read more​

10 Aug 2020 | Opinion piece by Patricia Popelier and Catherine Van De Heyning on corona measures and fundamental rights (in Dutch). 

8 Aug 2020 | New article by Frédérique Six and colleagues on "Governance as legitimacy: are ecosystems replacing networks?" in Public Management Review. ​

7 Aug 2020 | New blog post by Frédérique Six on "How to develop youth care governance signaling trust?" for the Finnish Itla Children’s Foundation. ​

15 Jul 2020 | Blog by Jan Boon, Jan Wynen and Koen Verhoest on the audiences that matter to public service organisations' reputation. 

29 Jun 2020 | Public Administration research at University of Antwerp ranked 26th (1st in Belgium) on .

26 Jun 2020 | Koen Verhoest co-edits thematic issue of Vlaams Tijdschrift voor Overheidsmanagement on network organisation and network leadership (in Dutch). 

24 Jun 2020 | Wouter Van Dooren on the relationship between experts and politicians in a radio interview with VRT Radio 1's "De Wereld Vandaag" (in Dutch). 

22 Jun 2020 | Social and Economic Council of Flanders (SERV) refers to GOVTRUST research note on trust and COVID-19 government policies in  (in Dutch).

13 Jun 2020 | Charlotte De Backer on the reopening of bars and restaurants and eating together as a sign of trust in De Standaard "Neem de Vlaming nooit zijn bord af" (in Dutch). 

9 Jun 2020 | Contribution to the University of Antwerp's Coronablog "Hebben we vertrouwen in het beleid dat de coronacrisis in goede banen tracht te leiden?" (in Dutch). 

4 Jun 2020 | Wouter Van Dooren on the coronavirus policy in Het Laatste Nieuws "Van 'niets mag, behalve' naar 'alles mag, behalve' - De nieuwe coronafilosofie van de regering" (in Dutch). 

3 Jun 2020 | Updated research note on trust and COVID-19 government policies, covering three waves of the Corona ��������Ƶ. 

3 Jun 2020 | Newspaper artcile in NRC "Met het virus verdwijnt de harmonie uit België" (in Dutch). ​

2 Jun 2020 | New project "Trust, legitimacy and intended compliance with COVID-19 exit strategy measures". Read more

2 Jun 2020 | New project "Digital (R)evolution in Belgian Federal Government" (DIGI4FED). Read more​

2 Jun 2020 | New project "Trust in Governance and Regulation in Europe" (TiGRE). Read more​

6 May 2020 | Newspaper article in De Standaard "Waarom een heldere communicatie zo belangrijk was" (in Dutch). 

6 May 2020 | Newspaper article in Het Nieuwsblad "Helft Vlamingen heeft geen vertrouwen in communicatie overheid over corona" (in Dutch). 

16 Apr 2020 | Contribution to the Forum of Federations: "Federalism and the COVID-19 crisis: Federalism and the COVID-19 crisis: Reflections on competences, actors and party politics in Belgium". 

14 Feb 2020 | Frédérique Six on the independence of inspectorates and the role of trust in NRC (in Dutch). ​