The Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Public Policy (NU GSPP) convened its 7th International Conference on the theme “Shifting Boundaries in Global and Local Governance” on May 29, 2023.

The 7th NU GSPP International Conference a full one-day event that included 26 presentations, 6 panels, and a book launch. Presenters came from several Kazakhstani universities (KazGUU, Almaty Management University, Eurasian National University, Nazarbayev University) and from several international universities such as Ada University in Azerbaijan, Albert Ludwig’s University in Freiburg (Germany), Denison University, Indiana University (USA), the University of Nottingham (UK), Ulster University (UK), HSE University in Moscow (Russia), University of San Pablo (Spain), CEU, and the University of Cantabria (Spain). The conference was attended in person or online by hundreds of participants.

The conference keynote speaker was Dr. Fernando Casal Bertoa, Associate Professor in Comparative Politics, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. He gave a presentation on the topic: “Crisis of Representative Democracy: Consequences, Causes & Remedies”.

“I am very happy to participate in this Conference that dealt with a lot of very interesting and current topics, such as accountability, governance, immigration, national minorities and political parties. I had the opportunity to give a talk on the crisis of representative democracy and what political parties need to do in order to save our lovely democratic system. Excellent conference dealing with very current and important topics, both for Kazakhstan and for the rest of the region. Extremely well organized” – Professor Fernando Casal Bertoa said.

The 7th International Conference brought to the fore cutting edge research conducted in Kazakhstan and around the world. The panels were devoted to several topics from government performance to international cooperation, from local governance to identity issues, from pressing policy issues such as migration, integration and polarization to the challenges to good governance. The common theme of the conference was that good governance matters, and that while policymakers may be confronted with challenges, there are concrete steps they could take to improve the policy making process and ensure the quality of governance.

The conference offered a diverse range of topics within the field of governance and public policy. It aimed to facilitate knowledge-sharing, discussion, and networking among scholars, practitioners, and policymakers in these areas.

Dr. James Perry, Distinguished Professor Emeritus from Indiana University, Bloomington, who spoke on the topic “What Does the Evidence Tell Us About Merit Principles and Government Performance?” shared his opinion about the conference: “I was impressed with the quality and variety of topics addressed at the conference. The papers presented are deserving of serious attention from practitioners and scholars alike. Presenters shared new knowledge about important policy issues. The Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Public Policy deserves credit for a well-organized and executed conference”.

The conference also provided a platform for Ph.D. students from various disciplines to share their work and engage in meaningful discussions. Ph.D. students who presented at the conference not only impressed the audience with their research but also inspired their fellow colleagues to strive for excellence in their own work.

“The conference gave an opportunity to meet highly respected experts, gain new knowledge, exchange experience, and formulate new research questions. The conference has become an effective platform for networking, finding points for joint cooperation in the future. As a Ph.D. student, the conference provided me with additional motivation for further research,” said Yekaterina Berkutova, Ph.D. student at the Political Science Department, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.

“I really enjoyed the GSPP Conference as it united scholars from various institutions with diverse research topics. In particular, we had a chance to communicate with renowned scholars such as Professor James Perry from Indiana University. Moreover, the Conference served as a platform for networking with peers,” highlighted Gulnur Makulbayeva, Ph.D. student at the Graduate School of Public Policy, Nazarbayev University.

Participants look forward to the  8th NU GSPP International Conference which will be held in early October 2024.