Call for Papers: 13th South Asian Economics Students’ Meet (SAESM), Delhi

SAESM Nepal invites application from undergraduate (Economics) Nepali students for participation to 13th South Asian Economics Students’ Meet (SAESM) to be held in Delhi from 23-30 December, 2016 to be organized by Ramjas College, University of Delhi. This call invites application on two categories-

• ·         Paper Presentation Category ( 6 Papers will be selected)
• ·         Budding Economist Category (4 Students will be Selected)

Those who wish to apply for paper presentation categories shall submit the concept note relating to broad theme as specified below; while prospective participants of Budding Economist categories shall write an essay specified below and shall sit in a written examination.

The prospective applicants shall submit their concept note or full paper along with a covering letter (including their current college/department and university) and should clearly mention on which category they wish to participate. The deadline for submission is  May 05, 2016. The decisions regarding final selections will be communicated by May 15.

All application shall be sent to saesm.nepal@gmail.com with cc to nabueco@gmail.com

See saesm-nepal.blogspot.com for details about call.

Paper Presentation Categories

The students are invited to submit concept note or full paper on following mention broad themes.

1. Regional Integration Challenges for South Asia - Lessons from SAFTA and other regional trading agreements. Enhancing trade is one of the challenges that South Asian countries face in the coming years. This can be achieved in a number of ways: through bilateral trade agreements, regional trade cooperation or through multilateral trade agreements. Although there is a huge potential for trade among the South Asian countries, it has not been very important until now because of low levels of cooperation between the countries. Skewed balance of power, and political tensions and mistrust among the countries have reduced the effectiveness of regional trade agreements. The papers in this theme can examine aspects of regional trade arrangements such as SAFTA or BIMSTEC, and its potential to impact integration through trade and cooperation in the South Asian region. Options for South Asian countries - Regionalism or Multilateralism; Bilateral FTA or a regional FTA; Lessons from other regional FTAs are some of the other themes that can be explored.

 2. FDI and Private Investment It is generally observed that trade and increased investment, including FDI inflows, go hand in hand. It is a two-way relationship: more trade leads to more investment and higher investment in turn leads to increased trade. The share of South Asian countries in both global trade and global FDI inflows, however, continues to be low. The share of South Asian region is less than 1% of global FDI inflows, and the share of intra-regional FDI continues to be insignificant. Higher investment will lead to increased levels of export diversification, and more intra-regional FDI and supply-chain integration will boost trade within the region. Papers within this theme can analyze global FDI inflows into the region and intra-regional FDI inflows; assess the actual and/or potential impact of FDI on trade, productivity, employment, etc.; explore issues relating to the existing FDI policy framework to assess how the business environment can be improved to increase investor confidence, remove impediments to both outward and inward investment flows and allow development of institutional structures to facilitate investment.

3. Agriculture, Food security and Hunger :Agriculture and allied activities comprise the largest source of livelihoods and occupation in all the South Asian economies. The agricultural sector is also a major contributor to foreign exchange earnings in most of our countries. In spite of the remarkable achievements in the agricultural sector in many countries of the region, the sector still suffers from serious infrastructural constraints and is often marked by low productivity and earnings relative to other sectors. Food security remains a critical issue in all the countries with more than half of world’s hungry people residing in this region. Providing adequate nutritious food remains a serious challenge for the region. In the milieu of globalization, changes in cropping pattern, land use and rapid urbanization are also making significant impact on the dynamics of food security. The papers on this theme can be based on any issue relating to agriculture and/or food security in the region. But papers that link up these issues with interregional cooperation, trade and processes of evolving a common policy framework in international bodies such as FAO and WTO are encouraged.

4. Global Value Chains and South Asia Global Value Chains are central to the arena of contemporary practices and policies of international trade and investment. Because value chains are integrated networks of production operations and not just a series of cross-border transactions, they implicate multiple policy areas and imply greater mutual policy dependency. Governments are anxious to acquire a significant share of value additions along GVCs. However the challenge is not merely quantitative; it is also about the quality of participation in terms of the capacities created, dynamic possibilities of diversification, degrees of control and autonomy, and the nature of employment generated in the process. Can GVCs effectively serve regional economic development in South Asia? Or, by interlocking with global production networks, do they create dependencies and thus act as hindrances? The papers on this theme can be based on any issue relating to the participation of the South Asian economies in intraregional or global GVCs and its implications.

 5. Demystifying Non-Tariff Barriers in South Asia In the initial years of SAARC in the 1980s, the popular reason behind limited intra-regional trade was the prevailing high tariff rate among the member countries. High tariff rates have come down substantially over the years since the formation of SAARC, due to increased globalisation of trade, and establishment of the WTO regime and the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA). Despite significant reduction in tariff rates in the region, the intra-SAARC trade has remained static. Now the popular hypothesis is that it is not the high tariff rates, but the Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) and the resulting trade barriers, i.e., NonTariff Barriers (NTBs) which are the main reasons behind limited intra-regional trade in South Asia. Further, traders from across South Asia have many NTB complaints and the high incidence of NTBs leads to the problem of “missing markets. The papers in this theme should cover all aspects of non tariff barriers that have impeded trade amongst partner countries and also suggest policy measures that can overcome these barriers?

6. Infrastructure, Connectivity and Trade The quality and capacity of South Asia’s infrastructure, both on the national and cross-border levels, is certainly a matter of concern. Further, the lack of regional connectivity adds to the constraints hindering the potential of regional growth and economic integration. Therefore, what is important for South Asian countries is to enhance the facilitation of trade and transport across borders. Integrated regional connectivity would provide substantial benefits to landlocked countries as well as poor, small countries by giving them access to world market at lower costs. In order to encourage integration in South Asia, a comprehensive approach is needed to address the physical infrastructure issues, including roads, rail, inland waterways, maritime transport, dry ports, airports, seaports, and information and communication technology, as well as the non-physical soft infrastructure issues, including cross-border transit facilitation measures; customs clearance, and other facilitating polices and regulations. The papers on this theme can be based on any issues highlighted and focus on a particular country or South Asian in general.

Budding Economist Categories

Study wishing to apply for this category shall send essay titled “Institutional Barriers to Trade in Services in South Asia along with application letter. They will be further invited to sit in an examination of 1.5 hours with objective questions covering following content of Economics. Final decision of selection will be made based on their essay (20 % Weights) and Examination (80%).

·         Micro and Macro Economics

·         Mathematics and Statistics for Economics

·         Development in Globalizing world.

About SAESM

South Asian Economics Students Meet (SAESM) is organized by a network of team involving individuals and the institutions they represent. The SAESM, the only forum for young economists in the SAARC countries, provides a unique platform for undergraduates of economics streams for networking, knowledge sharing, and fostering a collective understanding in issues of and formulating strategies for a South Asian economic development and prosperity. The SAESM, since its inauguration in Delhi in 2004, has continued its unbroken legacy as an annual meet and has established as an important event in the academic calendar of all South Asian universities. SAESM has been hosted by different member institutions across South Asia in the city of Delhi, Lahore, Colombo, Dhaka, Kathmandu and Thimpu at various years. The SAESM visions this important event as one to groom young economists as an unorthodox force to reckon within the South-Asian development and beyond. The SAESM’s contribution towards professional development of young undergraduates has been most noteworthy. It has groomed hundreds of young undergraduates professionals to deliberate at international forum and also provides each undergraduate a distinctive opportunity for skills enhancement, team work, leadership and to develop confidence and provide hands-on global exposure.

SAESM Nepal team

Prof. Dr. Bishwambher Pyakuryal- Chairman

Naveen Adhikari- Executive Coordinator

Khagendra Katuwal- Member

Baburam Karki-Member

Nirmal K Raut-Member

Conference Schedule - 23-30 December 2016

·         Day1 23 Friday Arrival of all participants/ Conference opening ceremony in the evening (night stay Delhi)

·         Day2 24 Saturday Conference Day 1/ (night stay Delhi)

·         Day3 25 Sunday Conference Day2/ late evening departure for Agra (night stay Agra)

·         Day4 26 Monday Agra ( night stay Agra)

·         Day5 27 Tuesday Agra/Departure for Gwalior (night stay Gwalior)

·         Day6 28 Wed Gwalior/Departure for Delhi (night stay Delhi)

·         Day7 29 Thurs Delhi Tour/ Conference closing ceremony and dinner (night stay Delhi)

·          Day 8 30 Friday Departure

Event Logistics

The organizer will cover cost of travel and accommodation during the conference period. However, each participants need to pay a sum of 200 USD as registration fee for retreat.

If you have any further query, send your email to Naveen Adhikari, Executive Coordinator, SAESM Nepal to his email nabueco@gmail.com or call at 9851062222