We are pleased to announce that the 8th GRIPS Student Conference will be held on Tuesday, 3 September, 2019. This year’s theme is “Public Policy in a Changing World: Tackling Global Issues“.

The schedule and full list of speakers, presentation titles and abstracts is now available for download.

Conference Program

About the keynote speaker

Prof. Narushige Michishita is Vice President and Director of the Security and International Studies Program at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo. Previously, he has served as senior research fellow at the National Institute for Defense Studies, Ministry of Defense and assistant counsellor at the Cabinet Secretariat for Security and Crisis Management of the Government of Japan. He acquired his Ph.D. with distinction in International Relations from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University. A specialist in Japanese security and foreign policy as well as security issues on the Korean Peninsula, his works include: North Korea’s Military-Diplomatic Campaigns, 1966-2008 (Routledge, 2010).

Conference Objectives & Background

As complex policy challenges become global, finding innovative solutions to address them is a daunting task. Despite the increased efforts and awareness about global issues, many countries and organizations have yet to meet the expectations of international community and their own citizens. The looming climate crisis and environmental degradation undermine well-being, economic growth and competitiveness. Government corruption, abuse of power, and unstable political situations hinder sustainable and inclusive development strides, wasting the resources required for solving issues such as poverty, lack of quality education and unemployment. Uncertainty over the nuclear talks with Iran and North Korea, trade frictions between the U.S. and China, protectionist trade trend, financial instability and cybersecurity concerns show no signs of abating. The number of refugees and people displaced by conflicts have reached a record high, with nationalism, populism, extremism, and racism in the refugee-receiving countries on the rise. International terrorism remains an intractable threat in many parts of the world. Moreover, insufficient political leadership impedes the attempts to find solutions and results in delays to effective responses to toward these challenges.

What can we do to tackle these challenges?

This question sets the stage for an intriguing conference, which will center on the theme of Public Policy in a Changing World: Tackling Global Issues. The Conference will cover a wide range of topics, from international relations, security, development, innovation & technology, gender and education to domestic policy and economics. The Conference brings together a diverse group of students, researchers, and professionals from various disciplines and backgrounds to share their ideas and research findings in a bid to find feasible, creative, and innovative solutions to the local, regional, and global challenges today.

The Conference is open to all GRIPS and non-GRIPS students, researchers, and professionals. It provides an excellent opportunity for young as well as established researchers to share expertise in important policy areas, contribute to existing scholarship, and expand their networks. We invite both empirical and conceptual papers on any policy issue that is relevant to the conference theme of peace and sustainable growth.

Registration and correspondence

If you would like to attend the conference, please register online, or send an email to studentconference@grips.ac.jp