The National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) has formed a consortium with leading universities, governmental human resources training organizations and other related organizations in the Asia-Pacific region and promoted international collaborative education to develop leaders. As part of this, GRIPS hosted the Knowledge Co-creation Follow-up Online Meeting on March 14, 2022 to follow up the “Leadership Enhancement and Administrative Development for Innovative Governance in Asia Project” (LEADING Asia), which was conducted until FY2019 commissioned by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Taking into consideration the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting has conducted online since last year.

(Learn more about LEADING Asia Project -> Click here)

In addition to the members from the four countries (Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) that participated last year, the Royal School of Administration (RSA) of Cambodia participated this time and Associate Professor Ayano Nishihara (Rikkyo University), Mr. Masaei Matsunaga (Governance and Peacebuilding Dept., JICA), Mr. Kiichi Tomiya (Operations Support Department, JICA), Senior Professor Yokomichi (Director of the Executive Development Center for Global Leadership, GRIPS), Professor Takada (Vice President, GRIPS) and Professor Ono (GRIPS) attended from Japan.

The meeting was held in two parts, and in the first part, each country including Japan reported on the countermeasures and issues of COVID-19 in each country, and Professor Ono made a presentation on the case of Japan.

Indonesia　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Cambodia

Philippines　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Thailand

Vietnam　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Japan

At the beginning of the second part, Cambodia reported the LEADING Asia research results use situation in Cambodia especially in the educational field at schools and hospitals.

Finally, the participants discussed on the theme of “Leadership under the COVID-19 pandemic”, and shared the recognition of the importance of intergovernmental cooperation and coordination also between central and local governments, as well as the need for strong leadership under such uncertain situations.