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Governing Through Transformation: Public Policy and Administration at the Crossroads of Tradition and Renewal
Overview
The Association for Middle Eastern Public Policy and Administration (AMEPPA) 2025 Conference is hosted this year by the College of Public Policy at HBKU.
The AMEPPA conference is the leading platform for public policy and administration scholarship in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This annual event draws academics, practitioners, and graduate students from a range of fields, including public policy, public administration, public sector management, political science, development studies, economics, area studies, and international affairs from the MENA region and across the globe.
As the region navigates fast-paced demographic, economic, digital, and environmental transitions, public policy and administration are being redefined at the intersection of heritage and innovation. This conference aims to critically examine how policy systems across the Middle East are adapting to disruptive forces, ranging from artificial intelligence and digital government to climate resilience and social contract renewal, while remaining rooted in local values and governance traditions.
The conference will be held in English.
Chair’s Welcome Message
On behalf of the organizing committee of the Association for Middle Eastern Public Policy and Administration (AMEPPA) 2025 Conference, we would like to express our gratitude to Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) for hosting and supporting AMEPPA 2025. The conference committee is looking forward to an exemplary conference in which the latest disciplinary advances and practitioner insights are discussed with an intellectual vibrancy, domestic and regional focus, and an engaged interaction between academics and practitioners.
We have planned a rich social program, including a conference dinner and optional social tours of the most eye-catching and historic attractions of Doha, as well as Education City. It is our hope that all conference participants will have an opportunity to experience the rich hospitality of the Qatari culture and the unique beauty of the country.
Executive Members:
- Dr. Mohamed Al Kadry, University of Connecticut
- Dr. Wolfgang Drechsler, TalTech, Tallinn University of Technology
- Dr. Noha El-Mikawy, American University in Cairo
- Dr. Noura Wahby, American University in Cairo
- Dr. Shahjahan Bhuiyan, American University in Cairo
- Dr. Rabia Naguib, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies
- Dr. Lanouar Charfeddine, Qatar University
- Dr. Tania Haddad, American University in Beirut
- Dr. Chris Tabakis, KAPSARC School of Public Policy
- Dr. Khalaf Al Abri, Sultan Qaboos University
- Dr. Logan Cochrane, Hamad Bin Khalifa University
The committee oversees peer review, ensures regional relevance, and shapes a high-quality program, reflecting the theme of transformation through policy, technology, and tradition.
Dean’s Welcome Message
On behalf of the College of Public Policy (CPP) and Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), it is our honor to host the Annual Association for Middle Eastern Public Policy and Administration (AMEPPA 2025) Conference. I would like to extend warm greetings to all attendees. I am sure that you will find the conference stimulating and informative.
The College of Public Policy (CPP) is one of six colleges at HBKU, a research-intensive university with a focus on graduate education. Our college has a distinctive Master of Public Policy (MPP) that connects global policy issues to national and regional challenges. We are looking forward to contributing to and learning from the exchanges that the AMEPPA conferences have been known for over the past decade.
The conference’s organizing committee, in collaboration with AMEPPA, has put together a first-class program that is sure to enrich and inform research agendas on key policy and administrative questions.
My colleagues, our students, and our staff look forward to welcoming you to CPP and HBKU. Best wishes for a great conference.
About AMEPPA
The Association for Middle Eastern Public Policy and Administration (AMEPPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the public interest, displaying personal integrity, promoting ethical institutions, and motivating professional competence in the Middle East. Their goal is to foster a partnership between academia and practitioners by conducting ongoing research, workshops, seminars, and modeling with the aim of creating a dynamic environment that supports the emergence and development of a professional cadre of public servants in the Middle East.
Partners
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Conference Focus Areas
This year’s conference particularly encourages submissions that:
- Explore the role of AI, digital platforms, and emerging technologies in reshaping governance and public service delivery in the Middle East.
- Analyze public policy innovations that blend traditional practices with digital experimentation.
- Examine the ethical, institutional, and regulatory challenges of adopting AI in government decision-making.
- Highlight culturally informed approaches to public administration reform and legitimacy-building.
- Present regional case studies of transformation initiatives, digital governance efforts, and administrative modernization.
- Investigate cross-regional learning and policy transfer, especially around digital resilience, data governance, and agile institutions.
For more information on the conference tracks, please refer to the AMEPPA 2025 webpage.
Submission Guidelines
- Paper Abstracts: 300-500 words outlining the research question, methodology, findings, and contribution to conference themes.
- Panel Proposals: 500-750 words describing the panel theme, constituent paper abstracts, and value added.
- Practitioner Insights: 200-300 words highlighting practical innovation, implementation barriers, and lessons learned.
Important dates
- Submission deadline
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 - Notification of acceptance
Monday, October 20, 2025 - Final paper deadline
Sunday, November 30, 2025
Submissions should be emailed to: ameppa@hbku.edu.qa
About Hamad Bin Khalifa University
Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (QF), was founded in 2010 to continue fulfilling QF's vision of unlocking human potential. HBKU is a homegrown research and graduate studies University that acts as a catalyst for positive transformation in Qatar and the region while having a global impact.
Located within Education City, HBKU seeks to provide unparalleled opportunities where inquiry and discovery are integral to teaching and learning at all levels utilizing a multidisciplinary approach across all focus areas.
HBKU is committed to actively contributing to achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030 by building and cultivating human capacity through an enriching academic experience and an innovative research ecosystem. Through applying creativity to knowledge, students will be able to discover innovative, locally relevant solutions that have a global impact.
At Hamad Bin Khalifa University – our students, faculty, staff, partners, and leadership – all share a common belief in the power of higher education and research to make a positive impact on the development of nations.
More information at www.hbku.edu.qa
About Education City
Our flagship initiative is a campus of more than 12 square kilometers that hosts branch campuses of some of the world's leading educational institutes, a homegrown university, and other research, scholastic, and community centers. Together, these institutes make Education City a unique model of academic and research excellence, pioneering a new approach to multidisciplinary, global education and enabling breakthroughs that benefit Qatar and the rest of the world.
More information at https://www.qf.org.qa/education/education-city
About Qatar
Qatar has been an independent sovereign state since 1971. Qatar comprises an 11,500 sq. km peninsula extending northwards into the Arabian Gulf. It has 563 km of uninterrupted coastline. The country's population stands at 2.69 million and its capital city is Doha.
Local time is GMT/ UCT + 3 hours. There are no daylight savings adjustments.
Qatar has a desert climate with year-round sunshine, very hot summers, and mild winters. Mean monthly temperatures range from 17°C in January to 36°C in July, sometimes reaching highs of 45°C+ during the summer. Rain is infrequent, falling in brief showers mainly in winter.
Capital: Doha
Population: 2.68 million
Area: 11,500 sq. km
Language: Arabic
Religion: Islam
Currency: Qatari Riyal
Power Connection: The power plugs and sockets are of type D and G. The standard voltage is 240 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.
Transportation
Karwa is the national taxi and limousine service. To book a taxi call +974 800 8294. You can pay by cash, bank card, or mobile payment.
Karwa taxis can be ordered or pre-booked via the Karwa Taxi app (available on iOS and Android), or hailed from the street.
UBER taxi service is also active in Qatar.
You can use your international driving license for seven consecutive days.
Metro
The metro system has three lines (Gold, Green, and Red) covering 37 stations. Trains run every 3 minutes and staff are available at every station to assist you during your journey.
You can buy a travel card at stations and then save time by topping up online or on the Qatar Rail app (iOS and Android)
All stations have elevators and all train carriages provide space for wheelchair users and pushchairs, as well as guide dog allowances. You can check the Qatar Rail website before you travel.
Free Metrolink buses run useful routes within 2 - 5 km of stations.
If you are traveling to central Doha, you can take the metro to one of these stations, which are conveniently located to access the Corniche area. You can change lines at Al Bidda (Red and Green) stations and Msheireb (Red, Green and Gold)
More information at https://www.qr.com.qa/home
Currency Exchange (March 2023)
Minor Unit: 1/100 = Dirham
- 1.00 EUR = 3.88 QAR
- 1.00 USD = 3.64 QAR
- 1.00 GBP = 4.40 QAR
More information at https://www.visitqatar.qa