Trust has long been recognized as a crucial factor influencing the performance of governments, political systems, and public sectors. In line with GPTT’s focus on “Policy Trust” through its distinctive conceptual model—soon to be released in an upcoming report—a GPTT representative attended the annual gathering of trust researchers hosted by the GOVTRUST Center of Excellence at the University of Antwerp, Belgium, in mid-August 2024.

With the participation of representatives from various universities and research centers, the event focused on reviewing a wide range of trust conceptualizations, from political trust to social, institutional, organizational, and networking trust. The event also aimed to create a network among relevant institutions and think tanks that are analyzing the role of trust in public policy and governance worldwide.