The Department of Economics, University of Colombo recently announced the annual South Asian Economic Students Meet (SAESM) to be held in Colombo from November 29 to December 1.
The event is sponsored by the Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit (Friedrich Naumann Foundation) – the main partner, and John Keells Holdings PLC – the main corporate sponsor.
SAESM is an annual conference which allows undergraduates specializing in Economics in various universities in the South Asian region to get together and prove their talent. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an undergraduate whose horizon will broaden from mere classroom interaction to regional exposure. SAESM seeks to change the perception that undergraduates are simply well rehearsed in theory with no practical idea as to the workings of the real world.
With its first conference having been held in Delhi, India in 2004, SAESM 2010 will be the second time the conference comes to Colombo, the previous time being the 4th SAESM in 2007. It is the fruit of the combined efforts of five regional universities – University of Dhaka, Bangladesh; University of Delhi, India; Tribhuvan University, Nepal; Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan, and University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Undergraduates from these and other universities in the region are expected to participate in the event fostering regional cooperation and networking among the future economists of the region.
The theme for SAESM 2010 is ‘Economic Freedom and Poverty Reduction in South Asia’. In the context of the global economic crisis, the importance of economic freedom has become the subject of much discussion. It is of high relevance in the South Asian region where many people live in poverty and whose economic rights and opportunities are being eroded by the actions of the world community. The conference therefore aims at creating awareness among the economics students regarding the link between economic freedom and poverty reduction and the generation of potential strategies to enable the region to fight back.
The conference will consist of three competitions. The first is the presentation of research papers prepared by undergraduates, in line with the conference theme. Second is the selection of the ‘Budding Economist’ of South Asia, a much awaited and highly competitive event as the winner is selected from the cream of the undergraduates after three rigorous rounds of talent display. The third is the ‘Quizonomics’ competition, which gives undergraduates the opportunity to test their knowledge on economics and world affairs.
In a context where there is much discussion as to the quality of undergraduates and their ability to meet labour market requirements, SAESM is bound to be a stepping stone for regional undergraduates to show off their talent, generate self confidence, and exhibit their knowledge of the real world. With all this in store, SAESM is bound to be an event that will bring real value to South Asia!
(This is a contribution by Ashani Amarasinghe, a fourth year undergraduate student of the University of Colombo and a member of the organizing committee of SAESM 2010). |
E-mail
