Join the University Network for Collaborative Governance’s 2026 Virtual Conference — October 30 & November 6

The University Network for Collaborative Governance, co-hosted with NCDD and the Association for Conflict Resolution, is holding its 2026 national virtual conference, Anchoring Our Future: How Can Collaborative Governance Meet the Moment? The two-day gathering brings together scholars, practitioners, and public leaders to explore how collaborative governance approaches can respond to a rapidly changing political and civic landscape. Hosted by the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, the conference offers a blend of research presentations, practice-based sessions, dialogue, and networking opportunities for those working across mediation, stakeholder collaboration, and public dispute resolution. For NCDD's network, the event represents a direct extension of the organization's own commitment to collaborative civic action, bringing academic research and applied practice into conversation around shared governance challenges. Sessions will take place on October 30 and November 6, with each day running from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm Eastern. The conference offers dialogue and deliberation practitioners a chance to connect with adjacent fields in conflict resolution and public policy, strengthening cross-sector relationships central to NCDD's mission.

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The Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law is hosting the 2026 University Network for Collaborative Governance conference, co-sponsored by NCDD and the Association for Conflict Resolution. Titled Anchoring Our Future: How Can Collaborative Governance Meet the Moment?, the conference brings together researchers, practitioners, and public leaders to examine how collaborative governance can respond effectively to a period of significant political and institutional change. As a national virtual gathering, the conference is designed to be accessible to participants across the country, offering a mix of scholarly research, hands-on practice discussions, and structured dialogue.

The conference's focus on collaborative governance speaks directly to core priorities shared across NCDD's network, including stakeholder collaboration, dispute resolution, and public decision-making processes that bring diverse voices to the table. Sessions will explore how mediation, facilitated dialogue, and structured public engagement can help institutions and communities navigate complex, high-stakes challenges at a moment when trust in traditional governance structures is under real strain. By convening academic researchers alongside practitioners and public leaders, the gathering creates space for evidence-based insights to inform real-world collaborative governance practice, and for practitioners' field experience to shape emerging research questions.
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The conference spans two sessions, held October 30 and November 6, 2026, with each day running from 8:30am to 2:00pm Pacific, 9:30am to 3:00pm Mountain, 10:30am to 4:00pm Central, and 11:30am to 5:00pm Eastern. Registration requires completing both a registration form and a separate payment step, and University Network for Collaborative Governance members should confirm their dues status before registering. A full program brochure is available for those wanting more detail on sessions and speakers. Readers can register and learn more at https://law.utexas.edu/cppdr/2026uncg-conference/