PRESENTATION
Since its creation in 1986 by Jacques Nagels and Anne Drumaux, the Department has been a leading research unit in the Public Management and Administration in French-speaking Belgium. It benefits from a faculty environment that includes economic perspectives and research in related fields, as well as a close relationship with the Centre d’Études des Politiques et de l’Administration Publique. It is embedded in international research networks, including the European Network for Public Administration, and joint projects with Armenia, Benin, France, Italy, Morocco and Switzerland. The members’ research can be summed up in the following themes:
The department’s research also infuses our faculty’s teaching through specialized courses, inclusion of public organizations in general courses and seminars, and dedicated course material (case studies).
- Governance and policy tools: analysis of the key pillars of democratic regime, with a particular focus on transparency and freedom of information legislation
- Performance management and organizational change: analysis of the practical uses of management control and performance management instruments, improve organizational learning and sustainability of performance.
- Public sector communication: analysis of governments’ use of digital channels, especially social media, and promotion/marketing of territories and places.
The department’s research also infuses our faculty’s teaching through specialized courses, inclusion of public organizations in general courses and seminars, and dedicated course material (case studies).
Scientific Board
Members
ULB Affiliated members
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Anzhela Amirjanyan (PhD Student)
Jean-Pierre De Laet (Associate Fellow) Jean-Luc De Meulemeester (Regular Fellow) Anne Drumaux (Associate Fellow) Alain Eraly (Associate Fellow) Giovanni Esposito (Associate Fellow) |
Christophe Goethals (Associate Fellow)
Marie Goransson (Associate Fellow) Neil Irvine (PhD Student) Vincent Mabillard (Regular Fellow) Jan Mattijs (Regular Fellow) Jean-Jacques Viala (Associate Fellow) |
EXTERNAL MEMBERS
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Lorenzo Cicatiello (Associate Fellow)
University of Naples l'Orientale, Italy Hicham Echattabi (Associate Fellow) University Hassan II, Morocco Vincent Giolito (Associate Fellow) EM Lyon Business School, France Paul Joyce (Associate Fellow) University of Birmingham, UK |
Bellarminus G. Kakpovi (Associate Fellow)
University of Parakou, Benin Edoardo Ongaro (Associate Fellow) Open University, UK Emil Turc (Associate Fellow) Aix-Marseille Université, France Raphaël Zumofen (Associate Fellow) HES-SO Valais-Wallis & Université de Lausanne, Switzerland |
VISITING SCHOLARS
2026: Hicham Echattabi, University of Hassan II (Morocco)
2026: Bellarminus G. Kakpovi, University of Parakou (Benin)
2024: Ulrika Leijerholt, University of Umeå (Sweden)
2023: Dario Giuffrè, University of East Anglia Norwich (UK)
2026: Bellarminus G. Kakpovi, University of Parakou (Benin)
2024: Ulrika Leijerholt, University of Umeå (Sweden)
2023: Dario Giuffrè, University of East Anglia Norwich (UK)
LATEST PUBLICATIONS
Zumofen, R., Mabillard, V. & Pasquier, M. (2025) Managing the use of social-media influencers in public-sector communication. Public Management Review, 1-26.
Mabillard, V. & Zumofen, R. (2025) A mixed-method approach to evaluating citizen engagement on government social-media pages. Media and Communication, 13, 10354.
Zumofen, R., Mabillard, V. & Pasquier, M. (2025) Citizen engagement on social media government pages: Insights from Nordic municipalities. Scandinavian Political Studies, 48(3), e70016.
Mabillard, V., Esposito, G., Cicatiello, L., Gaeta, G. L. & Pasquier, M. (2025) Barriers to freedom of information – Insights from an experiment in Belgium. International Journal of Public Administration, 48(8), 519-531.
Mabillard, V., Pasquier, M. & Vuignier, R. (2024) Place Branding and Marketing from a Public Policy Perspective. Building Effective Strategies for Places. Routledge (open access).
Mabillard, V. & Zumofen, R. (2025) A mixed-method approach to evaluating citizen engagement on government social-media pages. Media and Communication, 13, 10354.
Zumofen, R., Mabillard, V. & Pasquier, M. (2025) Citizen engagement on social media government pages: Insights from Nordic municipalities. Scandinavian Political Studies, 48(3), e70016.
Mabillard, V., Esposito, G., Cicatiello, L., Gaeta, G. L. & Pasquier, M. (2025) Barriers to freedom of information – Insights from an experiment in Belgium. International Journal of Public Administration, 48(8), 519-531.
Mabillard, V., Pasquier, M. & Vuignier, R. (2024) Place Branding and Marketing from a Public Policy Perspective. Building Effective Strategies for Places. Routledge (open access).
ACTIVITIES
- Panel chairing at the European Network for Public Administration (ENPA) Annual Conference (22-25 April 2026, Bucharest)
- Participation in the Annual Conference of the International Place Branding Association (29-31 October 2025, Manchester)
- Panel chairing at the European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) Annual Conference (26-29 August 2025, Glasgow)
- Panel chairing at the International Public Policy Association (IPPA) Annual Conference (2-4 July 2025, Chiang Mai)
- Organisation of the annual joint Aix-Marseille – ULB – UNIL doctoral seminar in public management research (18-19 June 2025, ULB)
- Organisation of the Global Conference on Transparency Research (15-17 May 2024, ULB)
- Organisation of the European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) Conference (7-10 September 2021, ULB)
