The 70th EROPA Executive Council adopts the organization’s strategic direction and the 2025 EROPA Conference program

The meeting was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, President of the Academy of Public Administration and Governance (APAG) of Viet Nam and Chairperson of the EROPA Executive Council.

The meeting gathered members of the EROPA Executive Council, heads of state, institutional, and individual member delegations. Distinguished attendees included Prof. Dr. Alex Brillantes Jr., EROPA Secretary-General; Dr. Kristoffer Berse, Dean of the National College of Public Administration and Governance (University of the Philippines Diliman) and EROPA Deputy Secretary-General; Dr. Masao Kikuchi, Professor at Meiji University (Japan) and Chair of the EROPA Future Plans and Programs Committee; and Dr. Vincent Wong, Chair of the EROPA Resolutions Committee.

The session also welcomed leaders from public service agencies and administrative associations across the region, including the Civil Service Commission of Timor-Leste, the Asian Association for Public Administration, the Indonesian Association for Public Administration, the Philippine Society for Public Administration, and the Hong Kong Public Administration Association.

In his opening remarks, EROPA Executive Council Chairperson Nguyen Ba Chien warmly welcomed the participants and encouraged open dialogue on strengthening cooperation among members. He emphasized the goal of making EROPA a dynamic and effective organization, one that leads in the field of public administration and contributes meaningfully to reform, innovation, and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.

On this occasion, Chairperson Nguyen Ba Chien expressed his appreciation to the organizing committee of the conference - including the Philippine Society for Public Administration (PSPA), the House of Representatives of the Philippines, the Civil Service Commission of the Philippines, the University of Makati, the University of the Philippines Tacloban College (UPTC), the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG), along with numerous universities and partner organizations, for their close coordination and dedicated efforts in preparing for the event.

Reports and discussion

At the meeting, EROPA Secretary-General Prof. Dr. Alex Brillantes Jr. presented the report summarizing the organization’s activities from the 2024 EROPA Conference in Indonesia to September 2025. The report highlighted several key achievements:

- Successfully organizing the 69th Executive Council Meeting and the 30th EROPA General Assembly and Conference in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, under the theme “Towards World Class Bureaucracy” (October 2024).

- Strengthening regional networking and multilateral cooperation by co-organizing and participating in major events such as the 2025 PSPA Conference (Philippines), the IAPA International Doctoral Conference (Indonesia), and the ASEAN Public Service Training Institutes (PSTI) Network Conference in Viet Nam and Brunei.

- Engaging in global-level activities, including representing the region in the UNDESA–IASIA Expert Group to finalize the UN Standards of Excellence for Public Administration Education and Training (October 2024); attending the UNPAN General Assembly to present collaboration initiatives; and participating in the CLAD Congress (Brazil) and the World Government Summit (Dubai).

- Actively contributing to regional and international knowledge forums and innovation platforms as plenary and keynote speakers.

These efforts reaffirmed EROPA’s position as an active, forward-looking organization that continuously expands its network, contributes to setting global standards, and leads regional and international dialogues on public administration reform, innovation, and governance.

Reports were presented by the EROPA training and research centers across the region. Specifically, Mr. Yun Changhee from the National Human Resources Development Institute (NHI), Republic of Korea, delivered the report of the EROPA Development Management Center in Korea. Ms. Xie Jing from the Chinese Academy of Personnel Science presented (virtually) the report of the EROPA Human Resource Research Center in China. Mr. Matoi Hiroki, President of the Japan Local Autonomy College, presented the report of the EROPA Local Government Center. Dr. Yogi Suwarno, Director for Capacity Building of the Indonesian National Institute of Public Administration, presented the report of the EROPA Policy Studies Center.

Following that, Dr. Kristoffer Berse, Dean of the National College of Public Administration and Governance (University of the Philippines Diliman) and EROPA Deputy Secretary-General, delivered the report on EROPA’s publication activities, including the Asian Review of Public Administration (ARPA) and the EROPA Bulletin. On behalf of the EROPA Secretariat, Dr. Berse also presented the organization’s audit report.

Finally, Dr. Masao Kikuchi, on behalf of the Future Plans and Programs Committee, delivered the report on EROPA’s new strategic direction, emphasizing the need to expand EROPA’s regional and international influence while ensuring coherence and operational effectiveness among member organizations.

Election for the new term

The Council then proceeded to elect the EROPA officers for the 2026–2027 term, with the following results:

- Chairperson of the Executive Council: Civil Service Commission of the Philippines, represented by Atty. Ryan Alvin Acosta

- Vice Chairs of the Executive Council: Dr. Yogi Suwarno (Indonesian National Institute of Public Administration) and Dr. Achakorn Wongpreedee (National Institute of Development Administration, Thailand)

- President of the General Assembly: Dr. Yogi Suwarno

- EROPA Secretary-General: Dr. Alex Brillantes Jr. (re-elected)

EROPA Deputy Secretary-General: Dr. Kristoffer Berse (re-elected)

- Chair of the Future Plans and Programs Committee: Dr. Masao Kikuchi (re-elected)

- Chair of the Resolutions Committee : Dr. Vincent Wong (re-elected)

Adoption of the 2025 EROPA Conference program

The meeting unanimously adopted the program for the 2025 EROPA Conference under the theme “Public administration in the age of populism, polycrisis, and technological transformation: Dilemmas, dynamics, and directions.” The event is scheduled to take place from October 1 to 3, 2025, in Tacloban, Philippines, with the participation of more than 500 delegates from within and beyond the region.

At the conclusion of the session, the delegates expressed their deep appreciation to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, President of APAG of Viet Nam and Chairperson of the EROPA Executive Council (2024–2025 term), for his significant contributions, exemplary leadership, and dedication to the success of the organization.