2 July 2025 – The APEC Center for Technology Foresight (APEC CTF) and the Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO) are serving as supporting partners for the 7th International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP7). The conference is being held from 2–4 July 2025 at the Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Center in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

ICPP7 is organized by the International Public Policy Association (IPPA), a global organization dedicated to promoting research and knowledge exchange in the field of public policy. The association holds annual international conferences, and this year marks the first time Thailand is hosting the event, in collaboration with the School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University.

This year’s ICPP7 is one of the largest conferences ever held by IPPA, expecting over 1,100 participants from more than 75 countries, with approximately 80% attending onsite. The conference provides 221 participation grants and features 261 discussion panels with over 1,044 academic presentations. Notably, 33% of the presenters are PhD students, highlighting both the global diversity and academic depth of the event.

The conference opened with a keynote address by Dr. Surachai Sathitkunarat, Executive Director of APEC CTF and President of NXPO, who represented Thailand. In his speech, he emphasized the growing importance of proactive public policy design, which must anticipate change and be prepared for uncertainty in today’s complex world.

“Public policy in the modern era must shift from being reactive to being anticipatory. It must systematically apply foresight tools to design resilient, adaptable policies that can lead the country confidently into the future,” said Dr. Surachai Sathitkunarat.

On the same afternoon, the APEC Center for Technology Foresight hosted a panel session under the theme “T05P01: Strategic Foresight and Policy Design: Applying Foresights Towards Disruptive Transformations”. The session was led by Dr. Kommate Jitvanichphaibool, Deputy Director of APEC CTF, along with his team. The session featured selected outstanding research papers from international scholars, showcasing diverse applications of foresight tools in various contexts—ranging from environment, health, and digital technology to energy policy, systemic transitions, and Thailand-specific case studies.

APEC CTF and NXPO’s involvement in ICPP7 not only reflects Thailand’s growing leadership in promoting future-oriented policy concepts but also highlights the country’s rising role as a regional and global leader in strategic foresight and adaptive policy design.