3. European (Local) Public Innovation Conference

III. European (Local) Public Innovation Conference

26 – 28 May 2026

EsACT-IPB, Mirandela

Date and Venue

The III European (Local) Public Innovation Conference will be held from 26 – 28 May 2026 at the School of Public Management, Communication and Tourism of Bragança Polytechnic University (EsACT-IPB) in Mirandela, Portugal, in a hybrid format.

Organisation

The Conference is organised within the scope of the Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership INNlocal, coordinated by the Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB), in collaboration with:

Hochschule Bremen, Germany;
Silesian University in Opava, Czechia;
Foundation for Studies and Training in Local Authorities (FEFAL – Fundação para os Estudos e Formação nas Autarquias Locais), Portugal;
Instituto Nacional de Administração (INA, I.P.), Portugal.

Organising Committee

Cláudia S. Costa, CITeD, Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB), Portugal
Inês Barbedo,  CITeD, Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB), Portugal
Bárbara Barroso, Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB), Portugal
Ana Vitória Gonçalves, Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB), Portugal
Márcio Martins, CITeD, Bragança Polytechnic University (IPB), Portugal
Christiane Trüe, Hochschule Bremen, Germany
Lukáš Vomlela, Silesian University in Opava, Czechia
Carina Gomes, Foundation for Studies and Training in Local Authorities (FEFAL – Fundação para os Estudos e Formação nas Autarquias Locais), Portugal
Vasco Mendes, Instituto Nacional de Administração (INA, I.P.), Portugal

Scientific Committee

Updating.

Adriana Fumi Chim Miki, University of the Azores (UAc), Portugal
Alex Ribeiro Maia Baroni, FUMEC University – Minas Gerais Foundation for Education and Culture, Brazil
Alexandra Ribeiro, Instituto Nacional de Administração (INA, I.P.), Portugal
André Ferreira, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Brazil
Anne-Marie Tahke, University of Malta (UM), Malta
António F. Tavares, Center for Research in Political Science, School of Economics, Management, and Political Science, University of Minho (UMinho), Portugal
António Gonçalves de Oliveira, Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR), Brazil
Bernadete Bittencourt, Transdisciplinary Research Center in Education and Development (CITeD), Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal
Bruno Costa, University of Beira Interior (UBI), Portugal
Caio César de Medeiros-Costa, University of Brasilia/UnB, Brazil
Carina Gomes, Foundation for Studies and Training in Local Authorities (FEFAL Foundation), Portugal
Catarina Martins, Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal
Catarina Ribeiro, Foundation for Studies and Training in Local Authorities (FEFAL Foundation), Portugal
Celeste Antão, Research Centre for Active Living and Wellbeing (LiveWell), Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal
Christiane Trüe, Hochschule Bremen City University of Applied Sciences (HSB), Germany
Cristina Mesquita, Transdisciplinary Research Center in Education and Development (CITeD), Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal
Daniela Frleta, University of Rijeka (UNIRI), Croatia
Dorina Gjipali, Aleksandër Moisiu University (UAMD), Albania
Fernando Pereira, Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal
Hilda Alberton de Carvalho, Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR), Brazil
Jaroslav Dvorak, Klaipeda University (KU), Lithuania
Jelena Đurkin Badurina, University of Rijeka (UNIRI), Croatia
João Mourato, University of Lisbon (ULisboa), Portugal
Juliana Almeida de Souza, Mountain Research Center (CIMO), Associate Laboratory for Sustainability and Technology in Mountains Regions (LA SusTEC), Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal
Justyna Trippner-Hrabi, University of Lodz (UniLodz), Poland
Katarína Vitálišová, Matej Bel University (UMB), Slovakia
Laurentina Vareiro, Polytechnic University of Cávado and Ave (IPCA), Portugal
Luís Mota, University of Minho (UMinho), Portugal
Lukáš Vomlela, Silesian University in Opava (SUO), Czech Republic
Lydia Scholz, Hochschule Bremen City University of Applied Sciences (HSB), Germany
Magdalena Chmelařová, Silesian University in Opava (SUO), Czech Republic
Márcia Silva, University of Beira Interior (UBI), Portugal; Centre for Communication and Society Studies (CECS), University of Minho (UMinho), Portugal
Márcio Abdalla, Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Brazil
Marco Antonio Catussi Paschoalotto, Research Center in Political Science – School of Economics, Management and Political Science, University of Minho (UMinho), Portugal
Maria Asensio, Instituto Nacional de Administração (INA, I.P.), Portugal
Maria Lucia Figueiredo Gomes de Meza, Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR), Brazil
Mario Thomas Vassallo, University of Malta (UM), Malta
Matías López Iglesias, European University Miguel de Cervantes (UEMC), Spain
Mirela Tase, Aleksander Moisiu University (UAMD), Albania
Nuno Almeida, Foundation for Studies and Training in Local Authorities (FEFAL Foundation), Portugal
Patrícia Silva, GOVCOPP, University of Aveiro (UA), Portugal
Pavel Bareš, Silesian University in Opava (SUO), Czech Republic
Pavel Tuleja, Silesian University in Opava (SUO), Czech Republic
Pedro Miguel Alves Ribeiro Correia, University of Coimbra (UC), Portugal
Pedro Rodrigues, Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal
Reto Steiner, ZHAW School of Management and Law (SML), Switzerland
Ricardo Lobato Torres, Federal University of Paraná (UTFPR), Brazil
Rogério Allon Duenhas, Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR), Brazil
Rui Costa, University of Aveiro (UA), Portugal
Rute Couto, Portuguese Association of Consumer Law (apDC), Portugal; Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal
Sara Moreno Pires, University of Aveiro (UA), Portugal
Shazia Wülbers, Hochschule Bremen City University of Applied Sciences (HSB), Germany
Sónia P. Nogueira, UNIAG, Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal
Soraia Gonçalves, UNIAG, Polytechnic University of Cávado and Ave (IPCA), Portugal
Susana Ferreira dos Santos, Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal
Tânia Maia, University of Minho (UMinho), Portugal; Polytechnic University of Cávado and Ave (IPCA), Portugal
Tiago Mendonça, Instituto Nacional de Administração (INA, I.P.), Portugal
Tihana Cegur Radovic, University of Apllied Sciences of Karlovac, Croatia
Vera Ferro-Lebres, Mountain Research Center (CIMO), Bragança Polytechnic University, Portugal

Conference Focus and Themes

Local governments across Europe face complex and rapidly changing societal, environmental, technological, and demographic challenges. INNlocal project aims to co-design training, tools, and innovative ecosystems to support mission-oriented innovation, future-oriented methodologies, and co-creation between academia, Local Public Administrations, civil society, and other stakeholders.

The III European (Local) Public Innovation Conference welcomes contributions that advance reflection, research, and practice in innovation in and through local governments, particularly related to the project’s three core thematic areas:

A. Diversity and Inclusion

Topics may include:

Inclusive governance and administration;
Equity, accessibility, and inclusive public service design;
Support for diverse communities;
Diversity, equity, and inclusion in public sector organisations;
Innovation addressing vulnerable or marginalised populations.

B. Environmental Sustainability

Topics may include:

Green transitions and climate-resilient local policies;
Eco-innovation in public services;
Circular economy initiatives in Municipalities;
Data-driven sustainability strategies;
Local innovation ecosystems for climate action.

C. Citizenship and Participation

Topics may include:

Co-creation, participatory governance, and democratic innovation;
Civic engagement and collaborative policymaking;
Digital participation tools and open government;
Transparency, trust, and accountability;
Community-driven innovation in public service delivery.

Cross-cutting themes may also include:

Mission-oriented and challenge-based innovation;
Digital transformation in local public administration;
Capacity-building, future skills, and micro-credentials;
HEI–municipality collaboration models;
Foresight and future-fit public sector capabilities;
Experimental governance and public sector learning ecosystems.

Submissions may be empirical, conceptual, methodological, applied, or practice-oriented, including prototypes, action research, or co-creation experiences.

Papers outside these core themes may also be accepted if they clearly contribute to innovation in and through local governments.

Contributions must be written in English, but presentations may be either in English or Portuguese.

Important Dates

Submission of Abstracts: 28 February 2026

Submission of Prototypes: 28 February 2026

Notification of acceptance: 4 April 2026

Final version of abstracts: 18 April 2026

Full paper submission (optional): 5 May 2026

Author registration deadline: 5 May 2026

Submission Guidelines

All submissions must be made via EasyChair (https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=innlocalconference20).

Format Requirements

Each file must be submitted in PDF format for the initial version, anonymised for double-blind review. After the review process, the revised version must be submitted in an editable Word format.
Use the official conference templates:

Authorship

Each participant may submit up to three contributions (abstract, prototype or full paper), individually or in co-authorship.
Each accepted submission must designate a corresponding author.

Review Process

Abstracts and prototypes will be evaluated through a double-blind peer review process conducted by members of the INNlocal Scientific Committee. Evaluation criteria include:

Relevance to conference themes;
Contribution to innovation in local public administration;
Originality;
Methodological quality or practical relevance;
Potential impact and transferability.

Registration

Accepted submissions will be included in the Conference programme only if at least one presenting author registers by 2026.

A participant may present a maximum of two contributions.

To register, please complete the Registration Form (https://forms.gle/boNb28C3YdcYJGnXA).

Publication

All accepted and presented abstracts and prototypes will be published in the INNlocal Conference Abstracts e-Book and Conference Prototypes e-Book (digital format with ISBN).

Selected full papers may be invited for publication in special issues or edited volumes (details to be announced).

Program

Forthcoming.

Contact

For further information, please contact: innlocal@ipb.pt