Jakarta, 29 January 2019: The annual Research Institutes Network (RIN) meeting was held in Jakarta, Indonesia on 29 January 2019, and was attended by 13 Research Institutes from across Southeast Asia.

Organised by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) with the Institute of Developing Economies - Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO), the meeting was moderated by Dr Hank Lim Giok-Hay from the Singapore Institute of International Affairs who is the RIN Chairperson.

ERIA President Prof Hidetoshi Nishimura welcomed the RIN members and thanked IDE-JETRO for their support as he delivered his opening remarks. He introduced the new representative from Australia, Dr Shiro Armstrong, Director of the Australia-Japan Research Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University.  

During his remarks, Prof Nishimura highlighted the importance of human resource development under the new digitalized economy.

‘In 2040, It will be significant for all countries to develop young talents who can create innovation -employing new technology such as ICT, AI or IoT. It is not only for the higher education, but also strengthen as the primary and secondary education level.’

Mr Shigeki Kamiyama, Director General for Research Administration, ERIA gave a report on ERIA’s research projects in FY2018, followed by reports on ERIA collaborative research in FY2018 presented by Dr Tony Cavoli, Associate Professor of Economics, University of South Australia, Dr Armstrong, Dr Vo Tri Thanh, Senior Expert, Central Institute for Economic Management, and Dr Wisarn Pupphavesa, Senior Advisor, Thailand Development Research Institute. 

The afternoon session covered ERIA’s future study plans: ‘Technology and Employment – What Lies Ahead for ASEAN’, ‘Impact of ASEAN Integration (Mid-term Review AEC 2025)’ and the ‘Comprehensive Asia Development Plan 3.0 (CADP 3.0)’.

Dr Ponciano S. Intal Jr, Senior Economist ERIA, introduced ERIA’s key research project for 2019 ‘ASEAN Vision 2040.’  Dr Armstrong lead a discussion on ‘Collective Leadership for East Asia and ASEAN’s Trans-Asian Role’.

Closing remarks and general wrap-up were delivered by Dr Lim.