In 1993, APEC Leaders decided to establish a network of APEC Study Centers (ASCs) among universities and research institutions in APEC member economies. The network serves to promote interdisciplinary and policy-relevant research from an independent perspective by facilitating academic exchange and providing opportunities for mutually beneficial training. Together they form the APEC Study Centers Consortium (ASCC).
ASCs undertake research, disseminate information and facilitate discussion on APEC-related issues. There are now ASCs in 20 Member Economies, comprising some 100 universities, research centers and centers of academic excellence. Financial support is provided by both public and private funds and research topics are usually chosen by individual study centers.
An annual ASCC Conference is held in the APEC host economy for the year. It provides an opportunity for academics and scholars to discuss their research and to identify areas for regional collaboration.
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APEC celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2009. Consequently, the host of the 2009 ASCC Conference, the Institute of South-East Asian Studies (the home of the Singapore APEC Study Centre), chose the topic, "APEC at 20: Looking Ahead to the Next Decade" for the Conference held on the 13th -14th July.
The Conference reviewed APEC's 20 years of existence with the goal of envisaging its future. Presenting academics considered how APEC and its agenda should develop in the next 10 years in the context of an evolving regional architecture. The presentations also included discussion of the Bogor Goals, the impact of the global recession and the role of APEC.
Several interesting prospects for APEC were debated during the Conference, including:
- Options ranging from the termination of APEC to the creation of an "APEC caucus" within the G-20.
- The potential for an enhanced role for APEC in ensuring 'inclusive' and 'sustainable' growth in the region.
- That SMEs could benefit from regional cooperation to access global markets through APEC.
- The need for new economic models for the region - models that support domestic-led growth in addition to export-led growth.
At the end of the ASCC Conference, the Latin America/Caribbean and Asia/Pacific Economics and Business Association (LAEBA) - a joint initiative of the Asian Development Bank Institute and the Inter-American Development Bank - held its Fifth Annual Conference (15th July). It gathered experts from Asia and Latin America to discuss accelerating regional integration in the Asia-Pacific region.
The APEC Study Centers Consortium Annual Conference will be held on 22-23 September 2011 in San Francisco, California at the margins of APEC’s third Senior Officials’ Meeting.
The Conference is jointly organized by the
Berkeley APEC Study Center and the University of California San Diego APEC Study Center on behalf of the US Consortium of APEC Study Centers, directed by Professors Vinod Aggarwal and Richard Feinberg respectively.
In view of APEC’s current themes for this year, the Conference will focus on three topics: (i) strengthening regional economic integration and expanding trade; (ii) promoting sustainable growth; and (ii) enhancing regulatory efficiency and advancing regulatory convergence.
Anh Tuan TU (Mr)
Program Director
APEC Secretariat
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