Conference Agenda

While scholars have evidenced the importance of ‘doing diversity’ (Ahmed and Swan, 2006) in public and private organizations, little research focused on how diversity policies are being done in local policy networks of public, civil and voluntary organizations. In this paper, by qualitative fieldwork (interviews and ethnographic observations) we unfold how ‘diversity is being done’ in the municipality of Groningen, in the northeast of the Netherlands. We specifically look at an “inclusivity team” that has been installed at the sports park as part of a national pilot program to promote LGBTQI+ inclusion in sports.

The paper focuses on how practitioners do diversity as everyday practice and shows how the governance of diversity materializes in practice through changing local, collaborative governance arrangements (Ansell and Gash, 2008; Emerson, Nabatchi and Balogh, 2012). With a focus on policy as practice, following involved policy practitioners, civil organisations and volunteers in the implementation process, we investigate how, when and why collaborations within the collaborative process changed and what the consequences are. It shows how policy objectives mainstreamed from a particular focus on LGBTQI+ inclusion towards social safety and reassembled actors, network relationships and its governance capacity (Christensen, Lægreid and Rykkja, 2016). It further illustrates how practitioners struggle to connect LGBTQI+ inclusion to other “diversity projects”, such as anti-racism, and how they encounter barriers for structurally embedding diversity in the sports clubs at the sport park (Christoffersen and Emejulu 2023). As such, this paper contributes to growing bodies of knowledge of interpretive studies on the intersections between doing diversity, policy implementation and collaborative governance (e.g. Meier and García 2021; Spaaij et al. 2020).

Sustainability in higher education institutions is a growing priority, increasingly reflected in teaching, research, and outreach activities. Universities are also taking steps to green their operations, positioning themselves as key actors in addressing sustainability challenges. Yet, recent research has largely overlooked how universities, as societal actors, can extend their influence beyond these actions. This article argues that outreach is not solely the domain of academics and that greening operations efforts can evolve further. We introduce the concept of infrastructure outreach, a new mission for universities in the fight against climate change. The article deepens the place-based contribution, namely in their host city, of universities from the perspective of climate action and climate neutrality. While universities can take up this expanded contribution, we observe that the responsibility does not lie with them alone. Strong structural collaboration with their host city is necessary to wish to have impact.

This study explores the delivery of digital identification (ID) services in Ghana through public-private partnerships (PPPs), focusing on the connection of governance, technology, and the Partnerships of other institutions. Governments have been increasingly accepting digital ID systems to simplify public service delivery, improve tax inclusion, and also improve proper management of Data.

PPPs have emerged as the ideal model for implementation, especially in resource-constrained environments. However, these partnerships often encounter challenges related to accountability, data privacy, interoperability, and public trust. Using Ghana’s national digital ID system as a case study, this research investigates the roles and responsibilities of both public and private organizations, the regulatory and technological structures that support the initiative, and the perceptions of key stakeholders, including service users.

Through a combination of case analysis, stakeholder interviews, and document review, the study identifies factors that have influenced their success and limitations in deploying digital ID services. The research offers policy recommendations aimed at strengthening PPP arrangements, improving governance, and fostering sustainable, inclusive digital identity ecosystems in Ghana and other similar environments.