The conference will run from 9:00 am to 17:30 pm on Wednesday 10 September 2025 in Boardroom (BD-07-004), 7th floor in BD Building on Belfast Campus. The conference will close with a reception with UKAPA Executive at 18.00, followed by a Doctoral Conference Dinner which will also be free of charge.
The doctoral conference will offer participants opportunities to discuss, critique and share ideas on researching public administration and related areas; it will also provide opportunities to discuss the PhD experience. The Doctoral Conference will provide doctoral researchers with an opportunity to present papers on conceptual critiques, early-stage research, progress in fieldwork or research findings and impact.
At the Doctoral Conference, each paper presentation will receive comments from a peer doctoral researcher and senior academic in order to strengthen the paper. The conference will also provide doctoral participants with a session on publishing as a doctoral student.]
Doctoral Conference Prizes
UKAPA awards two prizes at the Doctoral Conference which includes free attendance at the following year’s Annual Conference.
1. Richard Chapman Prize
The Richard Chapman Prize (£500) is awarded for the best overall paper presented at the Doctoral Conference.
2. The Public Administration Prize
The Public Administration Prize is awarded for the most publishable paper presented at the Doctoral Conference. Following the Doctoral Conference, the author will receive editorial support so the paper can be published in Public Administration.
Both prizes will be awarded at the conference and presented at the conference dinner.