We’re pleased to announce that the 7th GRIPS Student Conference will be held on 4 September 2018. This year’s theme is “Public Policy for Peace and Sustainable Growth“.

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

Conference Program (tentative)

About the keynote speakers

Dr. Emiko Kusakabe is a visiting professor at Rikkyo University Graduate School, also Co-President of the Open City Institute, Inc. She has a PhD in planning studies from Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, an MSc in geography (environmental planning) and an MSc in human geography research, both from London School of Economics. From 2008 to 2010, she conducted an extensive research in Shiga and Kyoto prefectures, on the role of social capital in creating sustainable and participatory city-building, machizukuri, using both network analysis and qualitative interviews. She identified the existence and the workings of “braising social capital networks” in connecting key players within and across prefectures. She served as a presenter at Windsor Castle Consultation by International Council for Caring Communities supported by the UN HABITAT in 2017, received Pioneer Award from ICCC at UN Headquarters in 2015, was a presenter and panellist at a high-level working session of the HABITAT, UN Headquarters in 2012, and served as a panellist at Windsor Knowledge Management Roundtable by ICCC with the support of UN Public Administration Network. She also served as the Welcoming Committee Chairperson of the World Bank Family Network in 1998-2000 and was a visiting senior research associate at the UK Centre for Economic and Environmental Development in 1992-1994.

Prof. Motoo Kusakabe, the founder and Co-President of the Open City Institute, Inc, which supports the enhancement of local governance and citizen participation in city development strategies, developed “Community Carte System (CCS)”, a system tool that measures and predicts the risk transfer mechanisms of risk/resilience factors, vital information for creating an inclusive society. He has been invited to speak at several UN and European conferences on city and welfare development strategies. He worked for the World Bank (1998-2003) as the Vice-President for Resource Mobilization and Co-financing in charge of creating global partnership to reduce poverty, by promoting ICT cluster development and community-driven initiatives in many developing countries. He also, worked for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London as the Senior Councillor to the President (1991-1994, 2003-2009), mainly promoting ICT clusters, incubators and seed funds in 14 countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asian countries. He has a BA and MA in Mathematics from the University of Tokyo, and MPhil and PhD Candidateship (1974) in economics from Yale University, USA. He served as a Visiting Professor at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (2003-2014), at Environment Institute, University College London, UK (2008-2009), as an Enterprise Fellow at Essex University, UK (2003-2009). and as a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University in 2003. Before he joined the World Bank, he served as the Deputy Commissioner, International Affairs of the National Tax Administration of the Japanese Government (1996-97), Deputy Director-General for Banking Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Japan (1994-96), Director of the Coordination Department, Japan Centre for International Finance (1987-89), Head of the Vice-Minister’s Office for International Affairs (1986-87), Chief Economist, Institute of Fiscal & Monetary Policies, MOF(1985-86).

Dr. Michiko Iizuka specializes in the policy studies on development, innovation in the area of sustainability, natural resources and agriculture in developing and emerging countries. She is a professor at the National Graduate Research Institute on Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo, Japan from April, 2018. She also holds positions as affiliated fellow at United Nations University Maastricht Economic and social Research and training center for Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT) and associated fellow at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at University of Sussex. Prior to joining GRIPS, she was a research fellow at United Nations University Maastricht Economic and social Research and training center for Innovation and Technology, as an environmental officer at United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean and a researcher at the International Development Center of Japan. She is currently working for a project on Global Value Chain in mining sector for Inter-American Development Bank. She had contributed works for UNIDO, UNESCO, UNCTAD, GIZ, JICA and SIDA on the issues on Science, Technology and Innovation in developing countries. She holds a DPhil in Science and Technology Policy from Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of Sussex, an MPhil in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at University of Sussex and a Post Graduate Diploma on Environment Management from the Imperial College, University of London.

Conference Objectives & Background

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 innovative solutions to the local, regional, and global challenges today.

Three years ago, the world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that provide a holistic framework for action aimed at, among others, ending poverty, tackling inequalities, resolution of conflicts, and ensuring carbon neutral and environmentally sustainable economic growth.

While most economies have recovered from the financial crisis, and emerging economies recorded significant economic growth, the benefits of this positive economic development have been spread unevenly. Widening income inequality, uneven distribution of access to basic opportunities, as well as environmental degradation are reported to hit the poorest the most. Clouds of uncertainty, such as the nuclear talks with Iran and North Korea, the rise of cybersecurity issues, the challenges to the implementation of the Paris Agreement, are yet to be dispelled. In addition, increased protectionism, exemplified by the US’ withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the alleged global trade wars initiated by President Trump’s decision to increase tariffs on steel and aluminum, might undermine the benefits of globalization, creating new hurdles for policymakers to overcome. These create an unprecedented and complex international environment. How should policymakers guide the international community through the mist of these multilayered and multifaceted challenges?

This sets the stage for a fascinating conference, which will center on the theme of Public Policy for Peace and Sustainable Growth. The Conference will cover a wide range of topics, from international relations, security and development, innovation & technology to domestic policy and economics.

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 network of colleagues and collaborators.

Registration and correspondence

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