APEC Study Centre conference scheduled for May 2018

PNG will be hosting the APEC Study Centre (ASC) Consortium Conference in May next year.

The ASC Consortium Conference is an annual conference hosted by ACS’s in the APEC Host Economy for that year.

PNG who will be hosting the 2018 APEC Summit will thus be hosting next years ASC Consortium Conference.

The annual conference provides an opportunity for academics and scholars from around the region to discuss their research and identify areas for collaboration.

ASCs are independent from APEC and their functions and funding arrangements are not uniform. This independence and flexibility ensures the integrity of the ASC process.

Financial support is provided by both public and private funds and research topics are usually chosen by individual study centers.

Yesterday the PNG Government and the National Research Institute (NRI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the think-tank to establish and accommodate PNG’s ASC.

Under this arrangement the Government will separately fund the operations of the ASC.

NRI Director Dr Charles Yala, said yesterday “This conference is intended to provide the forum for analyzing the theme and sub-themes of the 2018 APEC Meeting as an important event. We will do what we can do to make ensure we have a successful consortium conference and for that matter a successful APEC  Meeting.”

ASCs undertake research, disseminate information and facilitate discussion on APEC-related issues, initiatives and processes to help support APEC’s vision and goals.

Author: 
Cedric Patjole