2026 Annual Conference: Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA)
Theme: Revaluing public action: the quiet excellence of public administration
Dates: May 20 and 21, 2026
Hosted by University of Ottawa
Submission of an abstract by November 16, 2025: Proposals
The 14th annual conference of the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA) will be held May 20-21, 2026, at the University of Ottawa, with the theme:
Revaluing public action: the quiet excellence of public administrations
Often invisible and sometimes taken for granted, excellence in public administration is evident in an institution’s ability to maintain trust, ensure continuity, and enhance the daily lives of its citizens. While most conferences in this field focus on uncertainty and challenges related to adapting to rapid change in public organizations, this conference aims to highlight these quiet but essential successes (and opportunities for success) by providing a space for reflection not only on their meanings and impacts, but also on the processes and dynamics through which they occur. As Alter (2010) points out, “ordinary innovation” is often built through routine practices and incremental adjustments made by everyday actors rather than through major, spectacular reforms.