Kamil Glinka is a PhD with habilitation in the political science, an associate professor and vice-director for the science and development at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Wrocław (Poland), a member of Steering Committee of Standing Group on Central and East European Politics of the European Consortium for Political Research, METREX Bernard Steinacher Fellow 2022–2023, an author of publications on theory of state, public governance, urban policy, public communication, a practitioner collaborating with municipal self-governments and non-governmental organizations in Poland. Ladislav Cabada is a full professor, a vice-rector for research and creative work as well as a vice-rector for quality and development of the Metropolitan University in Prague (Czechia), a member of Executive Committee of the European Consortium for Political Research, a visiting scholar at Ludovika University of Public Service (Hungary), a senior president of the Central European Political Science Association. Daniel Klimovský is a PhD with habilitation in political science, an associate professor at the Department of Political Science of the Faculty of Arts of the Comenius University (Slovakia), an author of publications devoted to public administration as well as political issues linked to sub-national levels, an advisor and expert to municipal self-governments and government administration in Slovakia. Edit Soós holds a PhD in political science, habilitation in legal sciences, an associate professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Szeged (Hungary), an author of publications devoted to Central and Western European politics and policies, the EU law and European integration. As a practitioner she collaborates with municipal self-governments and public institutions in Hungary.