第10期生 (2023)

Kim Hyoung Zhin is currently in the second year of the Global Governance Program at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) as a PhD candidate. He joined the program in 2023.

Mr. Kim is a former Korean diplomat. He retired from the South Korean government in May 2022 after working more than 38 years. His last post was Deputy National Security Advisor to the President. He was ambassador to the European Union and NATO as well as Belgium and Luxemburg from January 2017 to December 2019. His overseas assignments were Washington, D.C. twice, Accra, Beijing, and Brussels. He participated in negotiations with North Korea, including the Six-Party Talks.

Ambassador Kim majored in economics at Seoul National University and received a master's degree in public affairs from Princeton University. He spent a year in 2012 at the University of Tokyo as a visiting fellow. He stayed another year in Tokyo from October 2023 to September 2024 as an Adjunct Researcher at Waseda University while being a PhD student at GRIPS. He gave lectures at various universities and wrote articles in 'Korea On Point,' 'European Foreign Affairs Review,' 'Diplomacy,' and the Korean and international media.

I am currently a second year PhD student in the G-Cube program GRIPS, with a concentration of international development studies. Before joining GRIPS, I had worked in the Ministry of Finance - Indonesia (MoF) as an internal auditor since 2009. Instead of conducting conventional audits, my experience in MoF includes a diverse aspect of policy evaluation, which spanned from auditing fiscal policy making in the MoF to monitoring and evaluating state-owned enterprises' performance. My work is envisioned to contribute to a better "evidence-based policy making" process in Indonesian government.

I hold a bachelor degree in economics from Gadjah Mada University (Indonesia) and a master degree in public policy from University of California Los Angeles (United States). These two academic institutions contribute to shaping my interest in international development issues.

In GRIPS, I am defining my expertise on impact/program evaluation with research interests on rural development and social welfare policy. My current research is about Indonesia Village Fund program, a decentralized fund from central government to all villages in Indonesia. In the future, I want to focus my career on research-based policy evaluation related to my research interests.

My name is Sidayu Ariteja, and I am currently a Ph.D. student at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS). Since 2009, I have been working at the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) of the Republic of Indonesia, where I contribute to developing policies that drive the nation's progress.

I earned my Bachelor's degree in Development Economics from Sebelas Maret University and my Master's degree in Public Policy from The University of Tokyo. These academic experiences shaped my deep interest in addressing critical issues in health policy planning and budgeting, with a particular focus on monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems--a key area of my professional work.

At GRIPS, my research focuses on the impact evaluation of stunting reduction policies, a crucial priority for Indonesia's development agenda. Being part of such a dynamic and globally diverse academic community inspires me to expand my knowledge and gain fresh perspectives, while also building meaningful connections with colleagues from around the world.

I strongly believe that even a small contribution to the nation can create a significant positive impact on society ("kontribusi kecil untuk negara, namun bermanfaat besar untuk masyarakat"). Through my studies and research at GRIPS, I am committed to enhancing my ability to develop evidence-based policies that bring real and lasting benefits to the people of Indonesia.

Before joining the G-Cube program, I used to work at Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS). The Ministry has a very significant role in the planning and population development. My academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Statistics from Padjadjaran University, Indonesia, which equipped me with strong quantitative skills. Subsequently, I pursued a Master of Science in Policy Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I deepened my knowledge in applied microeconomics, particularly in public and development economics.

Through the G-Cube program, I aim to further enhance my competencies, particularly in advanced impact evaluation and the application of theoretical frameworks to address diverse problem areas. I aspire to contribute to improving social protection policies, particularly in expanding social insurance coverage for the informal sector. Additionally, I seek to gain valuable insights into research implementation, which will bolster my capacity to conduct rigorous social policy analysis. These skills are essential to improve the process of formulating short-term and long-term national planning on the future.

My current research interest is climate change adoption strategies, financial inclusion, and anti-poverty programs in developing countries. I utilize large-scale household surveys, remote sensing technologies, and weather variability data to address questions, such as the role of digital financial services in helping households adapt to climate change and economic shocks.

I have been studying for my PhD since October 2023. I have academic experience for 6 years, as an assistant lecturer (2014-2016) and later as a lecturer and researcher (2018-2023) in the Economics Department at Haramaya University, Ethiopia. I received my MSc in Economics from Addis Ababa in 2018 and my BA in Economics from Haramaya University in 2014.

Studying in the G-Cube program will equip and widen my academic skills in development economics and help me to evaluate development policies, such as technology adoption, anti-poverty programs, and digital financial services. It is also a great opportunity to enhance my methodological skills in causal inference and develop my skills in policy analysis, which are all indispensable for producing well-communicated research and my future academic career development.

I am a central banking professional with 12 years of experience at Bangladesh Bank, the central bank of Bangladesh. I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in International Development Studies at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo, Japan, supported by the MEXT Scholarship in the G-cube program. My role at the central bank primarily focuses on macroprudential policy formulation, financial stability analysis, and foreign reserve management.

My academic experience, comprising a Master's in Public Economics from GRIPS and a Master's in Development Studies from the University of Dhaka, offers a multidisciplinary perspective to my research. My Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Islamic University of Technology (IUT) adds a technical dimension to my analytical skills. This diverse educational background guides me to approach complex problems in international development with interdisciplinary insights. Consequently, I enrolled in the G-Cube program to utilize this knowledge in generating new solutions that could empower marginalized groups in developing countries.

My present research interests encompass role of the political parties on the empowerment of women. I am especially interested in examining how national election outcomes can affect women's empowerment in Bangladesh.