December 16th, 2005

"The Second Workshop on Regional Cooperation"

As was previously announced, Institute for International Monetary Affairs (IIMA), established in 1995 with the purpose to provide high quality information, and to publicly present opinions or policies relating to international finance and monetary issues, is celebrating this year its 10th anniversary, and in commemoration of its anniversary has invited the students studying in the graduate schools of the Universities in Asia to express their fresh ideas and opinions in our Essay Contest. After the impartial evaluations by the judges of the Selection Panel (Prof. Tetsuji Murase, Chairman and professor of International Center of Kyoto University, Prof. Koichiro Arai of Aichi-Gakuin University, Prof. Minoru Awamura of Niigata University, Prof. Eiji Ogawa of Graduate School of Hitotsubashi University, Prof. Yorikatsu Yoshida of Takushoku University, and Mr. Tadahiro Asami, Managing Director of IIMA), Ms. Aysun Uyar of Yamaguchi University, Ms. Andrea Chloe A. Wong of the University of the Philippines, Mr. Laxmisha Rai of Kyungpook National University, have been chosen for awards. Ms. Uyar, the first prize winner will be invited to participate and make presentation in the Second Workshop on Regional Cooperation to be held on December 16th.

Ceremony of awarding the winner of IIMA Essay Contest

On December 16th, 2005, the ceremony of awarding the winner of the IIMA Essay Contest on Regional Economic Cooperation in Asia took place. Ms. Aysun Uyar of Yamaguchi University, the first prize winner, was given the testimonial and the prize from Mr. Toyoo Gyohten, President of IIMA.

The followings are the winners and short comments on their essays.

"What should be done to promote Regional Economic Cooperation in Asia?"

We are now pleased to announce the winners of the IIMA Essay Contest. Our intention of the contest was that we would invite the young generations to contribute fresh and innovative ideas and opinions that will lead to the future rather than being constrained in the narrow framework of the existing academic articles and discussions.

We appreciate the contribution of the 19 students from 7 countries, despite the possible unfriendly timing of notification for invitation that fell in the end of the school year in some countries or in summer vacations in others. We would like to praise the 3 students for their efforts as a way of encouragement, although it is noted that some essays that were contributed tended largely to depend on the former research works and those institutional discussions and few unique proposals or theoretical development of the discussions with their own originality could be seen. Anyway, we believe that this contest has given the young people the momentum to heighten and refresh their interest in the cooperation in Asia from a broad perspective of not only the economic but also political and social aspects.

After the impartial evaluations of the essays by the Selection Panel*, it was decided the First prize will go to Ms. Aysun Uyar of Yamaguchi University followed by Ms. Andrea C. A. Wong as the Second, and Mr. Laxmisha Rai as the Third and will be awarded accordingly.

The followings are the winners and short comments on their essays.

First Prize: Ms. Aysun Uyar, Yamaguchi University, Japan

She tries to analyze widely the situation of regional economic cooperation and its institutional arrangements and meetings on which the regional cooperation is to be based, and launch her theory using a number of figures and charts. She also gives the appropriate references and her way of thinking and dimension of the presenting her theory offers a valuable insight for the promotion of the regional cooperation.

The full text of her essay is published below

 

Second Prize: Ms. Andrea C. A. Wong, University of the Philippines, Philippines

She appropriately analyses the problems and directions in promoting for the regional cooperation. She also gives an agreeably concrete conclusion for promoting the cooperation in Asia.

The full text of her essay is published below.

 

Third Prize: Mr. Laxmish Rai , Kyungpook National University, South Korea

He tries to sort out the problems and challenges for the regional cooperation from a wide-ranging views of policy dialogues, technical assistance, FTA and so on. His voice would have been much more persuasive if he presented more concrete proposals for the solutions of the future problems.

The full text of her essay is published below.

 

Ceremony of awarding the winner of IIMA Essay Contest

On December 16th, 2005, the ceremony of awarding the winner of the IIMA Essay Contest on Regional Economic Cooperation in Asia took place. Ms. Aysun Uyar of Yamaguchi University, the first prize winner, was given the testimonial and the prize from Mr. Toyoo Gyohten, President of IIMA.