South Asian undergrads gather in Colombo

Colombo is hosting the South Asian Economics Students’ Meet (SAESM) on January 22 to 24.

SAESM is one of the pioneering academic events in South Asia that brings together young economists in the region to engage in a variety of activities that will contribute to shaping the future of South Asia’s economic landscape, the local organisers said in a media release.

Since its inception in 2004, with the initiations from leading economics departments in the region, the upcoming SAESM will be the 19th of its kind. The event will be hosted by the Department of Economics, University of Colombo, in collaboration with the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Their contributions provide evidence of international recognition of this prestigious event.

This year's gathering will be under the theme, “Building Resilient Economies: South Asia's Green Transition to a Sustainable Tomorrow". As the development prospects expand in the South Asian region, effective measures to address the unavoidable environmental complication are mandatory for further expansion of the South Asian economies. Therefore, fostering green growth is of paramount importance in the pursuit of environmental and economic sustainability.

The annual gathering will bring over 50 energetic young economists from across South Asia to share their research work, take part in academic competitions, and to learn different values and cultures of their neighbours. Keeping in line with the vision of SAESM, this year’s event will employ an approach where intellectual stimulation meets healthy competition between peers to provide a well-rounded experience.

“Therefore, it will be an unmatched opportunity for all emerging economists in South Asia to present their research findings and provide creative solutions to promising development challenges prevailing in the region to build resilient economies,” the release said.