Forum of Federations

Forum of Federations Sharing knowledge and experience among federal, devolved and decentralizing countries. We provide practical solutions to problems of multi-level governance.

The Forum Advantage: Hands-on Experience and High-level Expertise

The Forum has a practical, problem-solving approach to achieving results. Since its founding a decade ago, it has supported governments and citizens around the world - through training, the provision of expertise and impartial practical education. Our Core Principle: “Learning From Each Other”

We bring the world’s leading experts together with the “practitioners” of government: elected officials, civil servants, political operatives. The Forum’s direct relationship with governments on each continent makes us uniquely placed to promote intergovernmental learning by working in tandem with our partner governments. Very few international organizations can offer that kind of real-life, comparative expertise, and none but the Forum does it with a central focus on multi-level governance.


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We are pleased to welcome Alan Cairns as a Non-Resident Fellow at the Forum of Federations! Alan brings extensive intern...
10/15/2026

We are pleased to welcome Alan Cairns as a Non-Resident Fellow at the Forum of Federations!

Alan brings extensive international experience in institutional design, intergovernmental fiscal relations, and public finance, with a particular focus on fiscal decentralisation and health financing across the Asia-Pacific region.

His work in Papua New Guinea and Bougainville, alongside his contributions to international institutions, reflects his commitment to strengthening governance, promoting integrity, and improving public sector performance.

We look forward to drawing on his expertise and collaborating to advance knowledge-sharing and international cooperation on federalism and intergovernmental relations.

Great reflection workshop on the Forum of Federations report on climate change, conflict and multilevel governance at th...
10/08/2026

Great reflection workshop on the Forum of Federations report on climate change, conflict and multilevel governance at the margins of this year’s Berlin Climate Security Conference.

A big thank you from Forum to our lead authors, Tabea Campbell Pauli and Dr Clive Grace OBE and all workshop participants for their insights and contributions.

We’ll be launching the report very soon. Stay tuned!

Young people of Ajloun — Your voice matters!Join us for a Youth Awareness Session on elections, the new Local Administra...
10/05/2026

Young people of Ajloun — Your voice matters!

Join us for a Youth Awareness Session on elections, the new Local Administration Law, and the role of young people in shaping their communities.

📅 October 17, 2026
🕚 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 Ajloun

Let’s learn, discuss, and explore how young people can take part in local decision-making. 🤝

Organized with the Ministry of Political and Parliamentary Affairs and the Forum of Federations.

How much autonomy should municipalities have in shaping local transportation policy? In this new blog post, Alexandra Ar...
09/24/2026

How much autonomy should municipalities have in shaping local transportation policy?

In this new blog post, Alexandra Artiles, Jennifer Wallner and Swati Singh examine Ontario’s Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act (Bill 212) and explore what it reveals about provincial-municipal relations and the balance between provincial priorities and local decision-making.

Drawing on survey responses from 47 mayors and city councillors across Ontario, the authors examine municipal officials’ views on the legislation and the broader implications of expanding provincial authority over municipal governance.

Read the new article on the Forum of Federations blog ⬇️

🔗 https://forumfedblog.org/igr-reducing-gridlock-act-discussion/

𝗟𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗻ç𝗮𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁 ⬇️The Jean-Luc Pepin Research Chair in Canadian Politics, the Forum of Federations and University of Ot...
09/23/2026

𝗟𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗻ç𝗮𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁 ⬇️

The Jean-Luc Pepin Research Chair in Canadian Politics, the Forum of Federations and University of Ottawa Research Chair on Comparative Federalism, the School of Political Science, and the Centre on Governance are delighted to invite you to a roundtable entitled: 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗰'𝘀 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.



October will be a compelling month in the contemporary Canadian federation as peoples in both Quebec and Alberta reconsider the integrity of the Canadian state. In the lead up to the Quebec election and the Alberta referendum, join our panel of experts, moderated by Jenn Wallner, to gain insights into these unfolding secessionist politics in Canada:

• Daniel Béland, McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, McGill University

• Kelly Gordon, Department of Political Science, McGill University

• Jamie M. Thomas, Forum of Federations

• André Lecours, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa



𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁

📅 Friday, September 25, 2026

🕦 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

📍 FSS 4004



All are welcome - Students, Faculty, Administrators

🔗 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/D4WSEZ5j5F



We look forward to seeing you there.

——————————————————

La Chaire de recherche Jean-Luc Pepin en politique canadienne, la Chaire de recherche du Forum des fédérations et de l'Université d'Ottawa en fédéralisme comparé, l’École d’études politiques et le Centre d'études en gouvernance ont le plaisir de vous inviter à la table ronde « Quand le provincial devient national : Le référendum en Alberta et les élections au Québec ».



Le mois d'octobre prochain sera crucial pour la fédération canadienne, alors que les populations québécoise et albertaine seront appelées à se prononcer sur l’intégrité de l’État canadien. À l’approche des élections au Québec et du référendum en Alberta, joignez-vous à notre panel d'expert.e.s, modéré par Jenn Wallner, afin de mieux comprendre les dynamiques sécessionnistes du Canada contemporain :

• Daniel Béland, McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, Université McGill

• Kelly Gordon, Department of Political Science, Université McGill

• Jamie M. Thomas, Forum des Fédérations

• André Lecours, École d’études politiques, Université d’Ottawa



Événement bilingue

📅 Vendredi 25 septembre 2026

🕦 11h30 – 13h

📍 FSS 4004



Ouvert aux étudiantes et étudiants, aux membres du corps professoral et du personnel

🔗 Lien d’inscription : https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/D4WSEZ5j5F



Au plaisir de vous y voir nombreuses et nombreux.

Climate change hits hardest where institutions are already under pressure. In fragile and conflict-affected settings, cl...
09/22/2026

Climate change hits hardest where institutions are already under pressure. In fragile and conflict-affected settings, climate shocks can deepen existing vulnerabilities, strain public systems, and make recovery even more difficult.

A new Forum of Federations report explores what this means for governance - and what can help.

Working with lead experts Tabea Campbell Pauli and Dr. Clive Grace, O.B.E., alongside Dr. Zemelak Ayele, Dr. Sameen Ali, and Dr. Emma Porio, we examine experiences from Ethiopia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Myanmar.

The report looks at practical questions: How can different levels of government work together more effectively? How can local actors be better supported? And how can stronger governance contribute to resilience, peacebuilding, and recovery?

Join the Forum of Federations for the report launch and a discussion with the experts:

📅 5 October 2026 | 10:00–12:00, followed by a networking lunch

📍 Quadriga Campus, Werderscher Markt 13, Berlin

🔗 RSVP: [email protected]

Join us this coming Thursday at 11:00 AM (AEST) / 9:00 PM (EDT) to discuss:Agency in an AI-enabled worldAs artificial in...
09/21/2026

Join us this coming Thursday at 11:00 AM (AEST) / 9:00 PM (EDT) to discuss:

Agency in an AI-enabled world

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded across economies, workplaces and public institutions, governments face new questions around capability, accountability and decision-making.

The Forum of Federations and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government are delighted to host this practitioner-led discussion.

Eurac Research and the University of Innsbruck, are accepting applications for the Winter School on Federalism and Gover...
09/21/2026

Eurac Research and the University of Innsbruck, are accepting applications for the Winter School on Federalism and Governance 2027, Federalism and the Changing World Order

⏰ Apply by 12 October 2026

Open to young researchers, post-docs, graduate and postgraduate students, civil servants, and staff of international organizations and NGOs with basic knowledge of federalism. The program is held entirely in English.

📋 Details and how to apply: https://winterschool.eurac.edu

We're pleased to welcome Dr. Clive Grace OBE, as a Non-Resident Fellow at the Forum of Federations.Dr. Grace is an exper...
09/17/2026

We're pleased to welcome Dr. Clive Grace OBE, as a Non-Resident Fellow at the Forum of Federations.

Dr. Grace is an experienced former public servant with extensive senior executive and non-executive roles in government and commercial sector. He is currently Chair of the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea and former Chair of the UK Shared Business Services Ltd.

He is also an Honorary Research Fellow in public services at Cardiff Business School and was formerly Director-General of the Audit Commission in Wales, and Chief Executive of Torfaen County Borough Council.

He specialises in public services, local governance and the practice and policy of performance management, building on the foundations of his work as a local authority Chief Executive, senior public sector lawyer, and public auditor.

He does extensive work on decentralisation, civil service reform, and public services benchmarking in Kosova, Tunisia, Nepal, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Malaysia and elsewhere.

His deep experience in decentralisation, performance management and local governance will bring valuable insight to the Forum's work on multilevel governance.

On 7-8 May 2026, the Forum, in collaboration with Publius: The Journal of Federalism, convened an international research...
07/20/2026

On 7-8 May 2026, the Forum, in collaboration with Publius: The Journal of Federalism, convened an international research workshop exploring the relationship between federalism and artificial intelligence (AI).

Seventeen experts from Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States gathered at Marquette University’s Les Aspin Center for Government in Washington DC for two days of conversations on emerging practice and common trends in federations.

Read key insights from the conversations in this new report by Liam Whittington, Jamie M. Thomas, and Julia Clinch! Find out how asymmetry, coordination, implementation gaps and AI politics are playing a key role in the adoption and deployment of AI in federations.

➡️ Read the full report here:https://www.forumfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Governing-AI-in-Federal-Systems-Challenges-and-Opportunities.pdf

With Philip Rocco, Paul Nolette, Rupak Chattopadhyay, Aziz Huq, Sabine Kropp, Luis Claudio Kubota, Sandeep Shastri, Shahal Khoso, Daniel Mallinson, Vishnu Tandon, Lucie Vignola, Yannick Newton, Philipp Trein, Martino Maggetti, and Mario Kölling.

The Forum thanks its funders for supporting this project: Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Ethiopia and Brazil.

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