Jakarta, 28 August 2024: ERIA hosted an insightful engagement session with participants of the 3rd ASEAN Junior Fellowship Program (AJFP) at its Jakarta office. This session was part of their 4-week programme, during which they interacted with various entities linked to ASEAN.

The session began with an introduction by Toru Furuichi, Chief Operating Officer of ERIA, who provided a comprehensive overview of ERIA and its research activities. He highlighted ERIA’s recent achievements, including the launch of the Asia Zero Emission Center.

Dr Alladin D. Rillo, ERIA's Managing Director for Policy Design and Operations, discussed the objectives and framework guiding ERIA’s research and capacity-building efforts. He stressed the importance of effective policymaking in ASEAN and East Asia, outlining the key pillars of Partnership, Policy Design, and Capacity Building. Dr Rillo also introduced the ERIA Digital Economy and Sustainability Centre (E-DISC), noting ERIA’s role as a Knowledge Partner in the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) negotiations, and its provision of regional and country-specific support.

Kentaro Machii, ERIA Program Manager for the Startup Ecosystem, presented the E-DISC Startup Ecosystem Programme. He detailed its aims to create an integrated startup ecosystem across ASEAN and connect it to the global network through initiatives such as the E-DISC Membership Programme, ASEAN Startup White Paper, One ASEAN Startup Award, and ASEAN Startup Policy Roundtable.

Prof. Nobuhiro Aizawa, Dean and Managing Director of the ERIA School of Government, introduced the newly established school and outlined its mission to elevate ASEAN’s regional interests on the global stage. He emphasised the school’s goals of transforming ASEAN into not only a centre of economic growth but also a hub of knowledge and learning. Prof. Aizawa described the school’s four pillars, referring to it as a ‘warehouse of intellectual wealth’ where participants can both share and acquire knowledge.

In his closing remarks, Dr Alladin D. Rillo reiterated ERIA’s mandate as an international think tank dedicated to influencing policy through its specialised centres. He reaffirmed ERIA’s commitment to helping young policymakers understand and address critical regional issues.