IDEAGOV, the International Center for Decentralization and Governance, based at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (Spain) is envisioned as a global hub for cutting-edge research and policy dialogue on decentralization, governance, and federalism—both within the European Union and worldwide.
Building on the foundations of DERNET - Political and Fiscal Decentralization Network, IDEAGOV enhances its capacity to lead interdisciplinary research and foster collaboration among economists, political scientists, and geographers.
The center will continue to host a dedicated division focused on Spanish national decentralization and governance (RIFDE - Red de Investigadores en Financiación Autonómica y Descentralización Financiera en España), while DERNET is absorbed into IDEAGOV.
News
21 sept 2026
The Pazo de Mariñán hosted IDEAGOV-Local 2026, a meeting devoted to the reform of local government financing and the proposed reform of the Galician Local Administration Law (LALGA). Organized by IDEAGOV, the International Center for Decentralization and Governance at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, with the support of the Deputación da Coruña, the meeting brought together researchers, public officials and representatives of local government to discuss the legal, financial and...
IDEAGOV-Local 2026 brings the reform of local government financing into focus
21 ago 2026
The research presented at the IDEAGOV International Conference on “Asymmetric Federalism: The Perils and Advantages of Asymmetric Decentralization Arrangements”, held in Santiago de Compostela on November 5–6, 2025, has now contributed to a special issue of The Annals of Regional Science. The special issue, “Asymmetric Federalism: The Perils and Advantages of Asymmetric Decentralization Arrangements,” brings together comparative and interdisciplinary research examining how asymmetric...
IDEAGOV Special Issue on Asymmetric Decentralization Published in The Annals of Regional Science
20 ago 2026
Place: Santiago de Compostela, Galicia Date: 4-5 November 2026 From November 4th to 5th, IDEAGOV (International Center for DEcentralization And GOVernance) will host its 2026 International Conference, Equalization in Decentralized Governance. The conference will take place at the Sala do Pleno of the Consello Económico e Social de Galicia (CES) in Santiago de Compostela and is organized by IDEAGOV in collaboration with researchers from the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Universitat...
IDEAGOV International Conference 2026: Equalization in Decentralized Governance
21 jul 2026
On 18 September 2026, IDEAGOV will hold the IDEAGOV-LOCAL 2026 meeting at the Pazo de Mariñán (Bergondo, A Coruña). This year's edition will focus to the analysis of municipalities' participation in regional revenues (PICA) and the reoform of the Galician Local Administration Law (LALGA). The event will bring together leading academics, policymakers and institutional representatives to discuss the legal, financial and governance implications of the proposed reform, fostering dialogue between...
IDEAGOV Local 2026 - Reform of Local Government Financing System
15 jul 2026
A new contribution to the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series examines one of the most pressing long-term challenges facing European public finances: population ageing. In "The Impact of Population Ageing on Public Finances in the EU-27", María Cadaval-Sampedro, Santiago Lago-Peñas, Xoaquín Fernández-Leiceaga and Alejandro Domínguez-Lamela (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela) analyse how demographic change affects age-related public expenditure across the European Union. Using data from the 27...
New Working Paper in the IDEAGOV Working Paper Series
9 mar 2026
The International Conference on Democracy and Global Governance successfully concluded, bringing together leading international scholars and institutional representatives to reflect on the most pressing challenges facing contemporary democracies. Organized by IDEAGOV and Foro Economico de Galicia, the Conference provided a high-level forum for the analysis of political polarisation, institutional resilience, and the global reconfiguration of governance. The opening session featured...
International Conference on Democracy and Global Governance Concludes Successfully in Santiago de Compostela
IDEAGOV
International Center for Decentralization and Governance
Conferences and Workshops
IDEAGOV hosts high-level academic events, including international conferences and specialized workshops that foster exchange among scholars and practitioners. Outcomes are published in special issues of peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. The center also maintains a dedicated working paper series to promote early-stage research.
Research Projects
IDEAGOV leads and contributes to major research initiatives funded by the European Union and other international bodies. These projects address key challenges in decentralization and governance, encouraging collaboration across disciplines and institutions throughout Europe.
Policy Reports
IDEAGOV applies its interdisciplinary expertise to produce evidence-based reports commissioned by international organizations. These contributions support informed decision-making and advance policy development in fiscal federalism, decentralization, and governance.