NORKOM, the Nordic Conference on Local Government Research 2026, will be hosted by the unit for public administration and governance at the Oslo Business School, OsloMet.
The NORKOM conference is held every year, with hosting responsibilities rotating between universities in the five Nordic countries. This year marks the 35th conference and the first time it will be hosted by OsloMet.
NORKOM brings together the full range of Nordic research on local government. It is aimed at scholars studying municipalities, regions, or other forms of local governance, across a wide range of topics such as local democracy, municipal organization and governance, service provision, public finance, leadership, local elections and party systems, multi-level governance, and municipal structures and reforms.
The conference welcomes a diversity of themes, methods, and academic disciplines.
The core of the conference consists of working groups where participants present and discuss papers. There will also be keynote lectures and a traditional Christmas dinner. The working groups are organized thematically based on the abstracts submitted by participants.
The main conference language is Scandinavian. However, international participants are very welcome, and some working groups will be held in English. Papers may be written in either Scandinavian or English.
Read more about NORKOM on their website (norkom.fi).
Program
Thursday, 26 November
- 10:00–12:00: Registration
- 12:00–13:00: Lunch
- 13:00–14:00: Opening of the conference. Plenary session.
- "The Quest for a Sustainable Municipal Sector – the Norwegian Municipal Commission in Nordic Perspective,' by Commission chair Eivind Dale.
- Brief comment from Finland, by Siv Sandberg, Åbo Academy
- Brief comment from Denmark, by Kurt Houlberg, VIVE
- 14:00–18:00: Work groups
- 19:00: NORKOM's Christimas Dinner at the Ekeberg Restaurant
Friday 27 November
- 09:00–12:00: Work groups
- 12:00–13:00: Lunch
- 13:00–14:00: Plenary session
- “Ukraine – a learning ground for Nordic local governments? And vice versa?”, by Oleksandra Keudel, Kyiv School of Economics
- “This is what we do, and why.” A brief comment from Are Ausland, Akershus County Municipality (Akershus Fylkeskommune)
- A brief comment from researcher Aadne Aasland, NIBR, OsloMet.
- 14:00–14:30: NORKOM Annual meeting
- 14:30–17:00: Work groups
- 19:00: Dinner for those who wish to stay in Oslo
Abstract submission
- You submit your abstract in the registration form.
- Deadline for abstract submission is 16 October.
- Dealinge for final paper is 16 November.
