Global Program on Anticorruption for Development

Introduction

The Global Hub for Beneficial Ownership Transparency (GloBOT) is a multistakeholder platform that brings together key actors including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Financial Action Task Force, Open Ownership, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) among others to advance BOT reform globally. In fulfilling its mandate of better supporting reform, GloBOT is committed to expanding knowledge and peer learning on this agenda - what works and what does not.

Building on the successful first edition of the research symposium, organized in collaboration with the University of Sussex, the World Bank, and Open Ownership, which convened more than 150 participants from over 50 countries in February 2026, GloBOT is pleased to announce the second edition.

The literature on the impact of BOT, while still a developing field of study, is showing considerable promise - showcasing the full range of BOT's potential with a whole-of-government span. The first edition illustrates the breadth of questions now being asked: from taxation and procurement to corporate environmental accountability. There is still significant work to be done.

The second edition will take a deliberate step beyond convening frontier research - by including practitioners and country officials to share implementation experiences. The goal is to close the gap between what the evidence shows and what reform looks like on the ground. By bringing together government representatives, civil society, academics, and international organizations under one roof, the event aims to support evidence-based policymaking and strengthen the international cooperation needed for BOT reforms to deliver lasting results.

Why This Matters

A significant gap remains in the evidence base on the impact of BOT reform - what works, under what conditions, and why other approaches fail. Peer learning among countries on how to design and administer registries in low-capacity contexts, strengthen enforcement, and drive meaningful use of beneficial ownership data remains underdeveloped.

Without better evidence of impact, countries and technical assistance providers alike risk repeating unsuccessful approaches or overlooking proven solutions - undermining the prospects for effective and durable reform. This includes understanding how the disclosure and use of beneficial ownership information on legal vehicles and assets contributes to broader policy goals, such as fairer and more effective taxation, robust public procurement, and wider economic outcomes, as well as the less-explored dimensions of BOT's impact.

We invite submissions of research projects from researchers and practitioners.

Themes of Interest

We welcome submissions of published research, works in progress, and planned research. Submissions should explore one of the following themes as they relate to BOT: policy design and implementation; impact measurement and data use; the impact of BOT on horizon issues that push the boundaries of current BOT approaches, demonstrating the links to sustainable development.

While the themes are open-ended and we welcome credible research across geographies and contexts, we are particularly keen to hear from researchers working in or on developing countries' contexts, where the BOT reform agenda is least documented in the literature.

We also welcome submissions that go beyond the conventional - whether that means leveraging innovative datasets, examining unexplored uses of BOT, assessing how to advance risk-based approaches or BOT's application in high-risk sectors, use of new technologies, or how illicit practices adapt to BO reforms - where they move and how.

1. Policy Design and Implementation

Submissions could address questions such as:

o   How do legal and institutional frameworks, design choices, and implementation factors affect the use of beneficial ownership information and reform outcomes?

o   What roles do governments, civil society, and the private sector play in the policy design and implementation of BOT?

o   How can the verifiability and quality of beneficial ownership data be strengthened?

o   What does an effective risk-based approach to BOT look like, particularly in low-capacity contexts?

o   What political economy factors drive governments to implement and sustain BOT reforms - and what explains backsliding?

o   How can registries become financially and institutionally sustainable, given costs, resource constraints, and the need for political support?

o   What does meaningful access to BO data look like?

2. Impact Measurement and Data Use

Submissions could address questions such as:

o   What measurable impact is BOT having in areas such as public procurement, taxation, anti-corruption, and illicit financial flows?

o   How can researchers credibly measure the impact of BOT reforms in the absence of clean counterfactuals or consistent data?

o   How is beneficial ownership information being used across borders, and what barriers limit cross-jurisdictional data sharing and cooperation?

3. Beneficial Ownership Transparency of ‘Horizon Issues’

Submissions could address questions such as:

o   How do illicit actors respond and adapt to BOT reforms, and what does this mean for policy design?

o   What does effective BOT look like in high-risk sectors such as extractives, real estate?

o   What are the challenges and opportunities for tracking ownership and control of high-value assets across borders?

o   What role can technology play, for example in data verification, detection and prevention of illicit practices- and what are its limits and risks?

o   How can increased BOT support private sector development and job creation?

Submission Guidelines

Please submit your application by 23 November 2026 using the form here. Questions can be directed to this address: globot@worldbank.org.  

Please note that selected applicants will be expected to submit a published paper, an unpublished working paper, dataset, or similar substantive output reflecting their work in progress by early February 2027. Failure to demonstrate progress may result in removal from the agenda.

Funding

We are committed to including a diversity of participants in the Symposium, including historically underrepresented voices. A small number of bursaries are available to support travel and accommodation costs for selected presenters. Criteria may include being an early career researcher (e.g. a PhD student or postdoctoral researcher), a researcher from a community historically underrepresented in these forums, or a researcher representing an institution with limited financial resources to support travel.

To apply for a bursary, please include with your submission a brief statement of up to 200 words describing the basis of your funding need and qualification, the amount of funding required, and what you hope to achieve by attending the Symposium.

Symposium Format

The Symposium will be hybrid; however, researchers are strongly encouraged to attend in person. We may offer spaces for both full presentations and lightning talks.

Alongside research presentations, the Symposium will include a dedicated segment for policy practitioners to share practical challenges and experiences of BOT reform - creating a genuine dialogue between evidence and implementation.

The event will also be open to wider audiences, both in person and online, for the research presentation sessions.

A final agenda and further information on logistics and registration (including online participation) will be shared closer to the event.