A PERMANENT STUDY GROUP OF ENPA
Public administration.
Technology.
Innovation.
Exploring how public institutions shape technological and societal change.
01 / ABOUT
Understanding change.
Shaping public governance.
The Permanent Study Group on Public Administration, Technology and Innovation (PATI) at the European Network of Public Administration (ENPA) examines how governments and public institutions navigate, shape, and are transformed by technological and societal change.
We bring together scholars to discuss how public governance can foster and regulate innovation responsibly while ensuring that technological change serves broad societal goals within and beyond the public sector.
- How can administrations steer complex socio-technical transitions amid uncertainty and contestation?
- What kinds of institutional arrangements and decision-making processes enable experimentation without losing democratic oversight?
- How can public organizations reconcile competing demands – efficiency and inclusion, openness and security, innovation and stability – that emerge with socio-technical transitions?
- What policy and organizational strategies should public institutions adopt to advance strategic technological autonomy?
The study group provides a forum for exploring these dilemmas through diverse theoretical and empirical lenses: politics of technology; innovation capabilities; policy design; public sector reform; co-creation and experimentation; foresight and learning systems; maintenance of old technological systems; ethics of emerging technologies.
02 / CHAIRS
Meet the chairs.
01
Rainer Kattel
University College London
Rainer Kattel is Professor of Innovation and Public Governance and Co-Deputy Director of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. His research focuses on public sector innovation and the capabilities governments need to lead digital and sustainable transformations. He studies how public organisations develop the expertise, institutions and ways of working needed to create public value and respond to societal challenges.
02
Alessia Caputo
Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies
Alessia Caputo is a researcher at the Institute of Management at Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, working with the Management and Healthcare Laboratory. Her research focuses on public sector innovation, organisational capabilities and performance management in healthcare. Her work examines how health systems use performance measurement and data to support organisational change, strengthen resilience and guide digital transformation.
03
Peeter Vihma
Tallinn University of Technology
Peeter Vihma is a researcher at the Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance at Tallinn University of Technology. His research focuses on the governance of major societal transformations, particularly the green and digital transitions. Combining public administration, innovation and transition studies, he examines organisational learning, collaboration, legitimacy and the use of data in governance. He holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Helsinki.
03 / SEMINAR SERIES
Ideas in conversation.
The PATI seminar series is a cosy, informal online space for scholars interested in public administration, technology and innovation. Every other month, we invite a notable scholar to give a 15–20 minute talk, followed by an emerging scholar presenting related work and a short discussion. Each session lasts about one hour.
The series brings together past PATI and ENPA conference participants and new colleagues to exchange ideas and stay connected with the study group. Discussions also help shape themes for future PATI conference sessions.
Upcoming seminars
| When | Speaker | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 15:00 CET | Zora Kovacic | Online |
| Winter 2027Date and time to be announced | Petter Gullmark | Online |
04 / CONTACT
Stay in the conversation.
Interested in PATI, the seminar series or contributing to the study group? Get in touch with the chairs.
peeter.vihma@taltech.ee