Call for papers: Symposium – Future-Proof Regulation

We are inviting paper proposals for the Future-Proof Regulation Symposium, 17-18 November 2025 in The Hague.

Regulation is a vital part of functioning states, societies, and markets. Over time, regulation has expanded in size and scope and regulators have encountered new societal expectations and governance challenges. As markets become more globalized and decentralized, the effectiveness of top-down, hierarchical models of regulation is increasingly being called into question. As public services have become more complex and ‘person-centric’, regulators of those services are expected to continuously reflect on, and adapt, their practices. As the object of regulation is no longer a single, well-defined organization, but can also include networks of organizations, it raises challenges in terms of democratic accountability. As public trust in government and ‘experts’ declines, regulators can no longer take their legitimacy and authority as self-evident. As politics becomes more polarized and checks and balances are threatened, regulators can no longer take their independence for granted.

Under these circumstances, how can we ‘future-proof’ regulation so that it remains effective, legitimate, independent, reflexive, and responsive?

This symposium aims to feature research on the theme of future-proof regulation. We specifically welcome submissions on:

• Regulatory practices: What new approaches to supervision, inspection, and enforcement may be required? Topics include: responsive, reflexive, adaptable, and experimental regulation, methods for data collection, decision making, and learning, approaches to staff training and capacity building, interactive and participatory regulation.
• Regulation for new organizational forms, such as networks: As value creation shifts to multi-organizational networks with diverse participants under different regulators, traditional models fall short. This complexity calls for a new regulatory paradigm. What new structures of supervision may drive more effective and legitimate regulation?
• Citizen engagement: How can regulators realign their relationship to citizens? Topics include: strategies for active citizen engagement, citizen-centric regulation, building public trust and legitimacy (with specific attention for groups of citizens in a vulnerable position).
• The role of regulators in society: Do regulators need to reconsider their role and competencies in the public and political spheres? Topics include: regulatory independence, institutional barriers to effective, responsive, legitimate regulation, problem-solving/public value oriented regulation, interacting with the media and public sphere, reputation management.

We aim to feature research using diverse methodological approaches. Papers may be empirical or theoretical/conceptual. We welcome papers from public administration, political science, law, criminology, economics, sociology, psychology, and any other relevant discipline (as well as inter-disciplinary papers).

Submitting a paper proposal

Please email l.a.fahy@uu.nl by midnight CET on 15 May with the following information:

• the abstract (no more than 300 words).
• 3–5 keywords, indicating the paper’s subject, theme, and scope.
• the co-author’s email address (if applicable).

Key dates

• 15 May 2025: Call for Papers closes
• 30 May 2025: Conference registration opens, notification of paper acceptance
• 19 September 2025: Conference registration deadline
• 3 November 2025: Completed papers deadline
• 17 November 2025: Future-Proof Regulation: Navigating complexity in regulatory oversight (academic researcher sessions)
• 18 November 2025: Future-Proof Regulation: Exploring adaptive supervision (practitioner sessions)

Additional information on the symposium

The Future-Proof Regulation Symposium will include one day of sessions dedicated to academic researchers (the 17^th) and one to regulatory practitioners (the 18^th). Panel sessions will be complemented by forum discussions and a keynote address. Registration is free and includes lunch. A preliminary program will soon be made available.

The symposium is funded by the Bureau Inspectieraad and Dutch Research Council (NWO) as part of their Innovation of Supervision program (Vernieuwing van Toezicht). This research program is a collaboration between Dutch regulatory agencies and academic researchers examining how the field of supervision can innovate to continue to guarantee the safeguarding of public interests, to become more agile and flexible and also more responsive towards public expectations. Projects funded under the Innovation of Supervision program are:

Toward Responsive Supervisory Practices

External and Internal Supervision Methods and Modalities for Organizational Networks Addressing Complex Societal Issues (EISON)

Reflexive Regulation using Narrative Methods of Service Provision for Vulnerable People (the RUN-study)

Authoritative Reputations of Inspectorates in Turbulent Times

The symposium will be convened by the NWO and Bureau Inspectieraad, along with members of the Innovation of Supervision research program:

Judith van Erp (Utrecht University, The Netherlands)

Patrik Kenis (Tilburg University, The Netherlands)

Anne Margriet Pot (Erasmus University, The Netherlands)

Lauren Fahy (Utrecht University, The Netherlands)

Questions?

For logistical questions about the venue, travel, accommodations etc., please email Merel Groentjes at nwa-toezicht@nwo.nl.

For questions about papers, panels, conference schedule etc., please email Lauren Fahy at l.a.fahy@uu.nl.

(Photo: @iStock / Moyo Studio)