[7th Report] 25th JASID Spring Conference: Reasonable accommodations, Infection Prevention, Childcare Facilities, Prayer Room Availability, etc.

In order to allow as many people as possible to participate in this event, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations, including accessible information for individuals with disabilities.

Our goal is to ensure wide participation, and we greatly appreciate your cooperation as presenters and attendees in facilitating these accommodations★.

Additionally, we have compiled details on infection prevention strategies and childcare facilities available during the event; please consult this information (also available on the conference website).

1. Reasonable accommodations

★Ensuring Information Accessibility in Presentation

We ask all presenters at this conference to cooperate in ensuring
information accessibility.

Please read the information at the link below and prepare presentation materials accordingly.

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Should you require specific accommodations to participate in the Spring
Conference, please confirm the following site and kindly inform the
Conference Executive Committee and JASID Reasonable Accommodation Working Group by 15 May.

A representative from the Reasonable Accommodation Working Group
(see page below) will then contact you directly.

  • the Reasonable Accommodation Working Group HP (English)

2. Measures against infectious diseases, prevention of passive smoking, chemical sensitivity, etc.

This conference will primarily be in-person, excluding one session. The organizing committee is implementing the following measures to ensure a safe event. We ask for your cooperation in holding a safe and secure conference.

[For all participants]

As a preventive measure against infectious diseases, please check your body temperature and make sure you are feeling well before visiting. If you have a fever (37.5 degrees or higher) or feel unwell, experiencing symptoms, please refrain from coming to the venue, regardless of whether you are positive or negative for an infectious disease.

★Smoking is completely prohibited inside Utsunomiya University.
Please refrain from smoking to prevent passive smoking. Also, to prevent chemical sensitivity, please refrain from using artificial fragrances.

[For in-person presenters]

If you are unable to attend due to illness or any other circumstances that require you to be absent, please promptly notify the conference secretariat and the commentator/chair.

However, please note that if you are unable to attend for any reason, you will be absent. It is not possible to switch to online presentation. Additionally, video recorded presentations will not be accepted as it will not be possible to ask questions on the spot.

[For commentators]

If you are unable to attend due to illness, please update the event
secretariat and contact the chairperson. If you have prepared your comments in writing in advance, please send them to the chairperson. If only oral comments are scheduled, please make arrangements within the subcommittee, such as asking the chairperson to provide comments in your place.

[For Chairperson]

If you are unable to attend due to poor health, please send an email to the conference secretariat and make arrangements within the session, such as contacting the commentators and asking them to serve as moderators and facilitators.

On-Site Measures and Protocols:

In order to prevent infectious diseases and chemical sensitivity, the host has selected a room that is relatively spacious, easily ventilated, and relatively less chemical substances. Although it varies from person to person, we believe that a certain number of people with chemical
sensitivities can participate with some peace of mind. The venue will be regularly ventilated, and hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance. Wearing a mask is at individual discretion.

4. Regarding childcare and kids room usage

We would like to inform you of three ways to use the childcare and kids’
room on Saturday, 15 June.

a) On campus nursery use

On campus, you can use the Utsunomiya University Manabinomori Nursery School (), which is located within a 5-minute walk from the conference venue.

Children aged 0 to 6th grade are eligible. The usage fee is 5,000 to 6,000 JPY depending on age, of which 5,000 JPY will be subsidized by JASID*. Please check the details in the usage guide below and apply by Wednesday, 15 May.

Instructions for using the on-campus nursery school:
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b) Use of off-campus nursery school

For those who use an off-campus nursery school, the society will provide a subsidy of up to 5,000 JPY*.

Participants are responsible for applying for and contacting nursery schools on their own. If you would like receive subsidy from JASID, please apply by Wednesday, 15 May using the link below.

Participants will make a reservation at the nursery school where they will leave their child, receive a receipt from the nursery school on the day of the event, and submit it to the conference reception desk to receive a subsidy of up to 5,000 JPY.

Application for off-campus nursery school usage assistance:
gfa48

*Subsidy for on-campus and off-campus childcare in a and b above will be available to the first 10 people. The deadline is 15 May, but please apply early.

c) Kids room (rest area for children)

The tea room on the second floor of the University Hall, which is the
conference venue, will be open to the public as a kids’ room.

Although there are no childcare workers, users are free to use the facilities for napping, breastfeeding, etc. under their own responsibility. Each child must prepare their own nap mat, toys, etc.

There is no need to apply for this service in advance, and you can use it freely on the day.

5. Prayer Room

The Prayer Room is located on the 1st floor of Building 4, which is the
convention venue. There is no need to apply in advance, but since this is a unisex small room, you cannot use it if someone is already using it.

Keys will be handed out at the event reception, so please contact reception on the day of the event.


Contact

International Development Society 25th Spring Conference Executive Committee
Executive Committee Chairperson: Kumiko Sakamoto (Utsunomiya University)

  • Secretariat email address: jasid2024spring [at]
  • Reasonable Accommodation Working Group email address: reasonable_accommodation [at]

In both cases, replace [at] with @.




KED Seminar #30 at 1:00pm on March 9 (General Public)

Another KED seminar is taking place at 1:00pm next Saturday.

Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #30
(co-hosted by the 43rd Resilience Seminar)

  • Date&Time: Saturday March 9, 2024, 13:00 – 14:30
  • Language: English
  • Venue: Seminar Room, Former Head Office of Forest Research Station,
    Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University. (North Campus, )
    / Zoom Web Seminar
  • Speaker: Akinori Kitsuki (Kyushu University)

If you would like to join this meeting via Zoom, register in advance:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about the meeting.

Title:

Vulnerability to seasonal food insecurity as an exposure to risk: the case of the Southern Province of Zambia

Abstract:

Seasonality is an important aspect of food security for subsistence households in developing countries. Using three years of weekly household panel data for the Choma and Sinazongwe Districts of the southern province of Zambia, we investigate whether and how farmers smooth their consumption within a crop year.

Given seasonal price changes of staple foods, some farmers buy them when prices are low and store them for the hunger season, while others run out of staple foods before the next harvest and therefore buy them when prices are high. The results show that the former group successfully smooths its consumption, while the latter group decreases its consumption of non-staple food items, such as vegetables and meats, to smooth the consumption of staple foods despite the seasonal hike in maize prices.

In conclusion, seasonal food insecurity is exacerbated by negative harvest shocks. We emphasize the significance of policies aimed at increasing public awareness of healthier food choices, empowering households to avoid purchasing maize at high prices, and reducing seasonal price disparities.


Contact

Ken Miura (Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University)

  • [at] (replace [at] with @)



Notice on the first Ideathon on development studies research for Development Studies by youth.

We will hold the event on March 16, Graduated School of International Development, Nagoya University.  The event is about conference presentation of their thesis or dissertation.

Please check in detail as follows:

Objective

This event aims to provide opportunities for master and doctoral students to present their research related to international development studies.

This event especially plans to let upcoming graduating master and doctoral students report the outcomes of their master thesis and dissertation.

The general objective of this event is to provide a place for young
researchers in the field to exchange information through discussion and improve their research presentation skills.

By having the Development Studies by youth lead this master and doctoral student presentation event, traditionally conducted at the branch conference level, we expect to stimulate further discussion between researchers, which tends to end at the academic conference and provide a place to exchange information and interact between researchers.

We welcome former graduate students who just graduated within the span of 3 years. In addition, we also welcome undergraduate students who continue to master and M1 and D1 students who are currently trying to write their thesis.

Please fill out the Google form below to participate. The program may vary depending on the presenter, but please refer to the following.

Event Summary:

  • Date: March 16, 2024
  • Venue: Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University
  • Organized by: Development Studies by Youth, Japan Society for International Development
  • Co-Sponsored by: Tokai Branch of the Japan Society for International Development For inquiries and further information: Development Studies by Youth, Japan Society for International Development

Google form:


Contact

Development Studies by Youth, Japan Society for International Development

  • studiesdevelopment666 [at] (replace [at] with @)



Online Symposium “Exploration of Practical Wisdom and Resilience Overcoming Downside Risk – Collecting grassroots voices in Africa under COVID-19.”Feb. 9(General Public)

SDGs Collaborative Research Unit, Institute for Future Initiatives, the University of Tokyo, will host an online symposium as a part of a research project on the impact of COVID-19 in seven African countries. We would be very appreciative if you could participate.

2nd Symposium on “Exploration of Practical Wisdom and Resilience Overcoming Downside Risk – Collecting grassroots voices in Africa under COVID-19.”

Outline

  • Date: (Fri.)18:30-20:30 (JST)
  • Venue: Online seminar (Zoom Webinar)
  • Language: English (Simultaneous translation will be provided)
  • Host:SDGs Collaborative Research Unit, Institute for Future Initiatives, the University of Tokyo
  • Co-host: Japan Society for Afrasian Studies (JSAS)

Programme

    • Overview:Kazuyo HANAI, Project Assistant Professor, the University of Tokyo
    • Presentation 1:Christian S. OTCHIA, Associate Professor, Nagoya
      University “Beliefs and Shots: Understanding the Dynamics of Faith,
      Religion, and Misinformation in COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake in Ethiopia.”
    • Presentation 2:Wakiko OHIRA, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Harvard University “Examining Grassroots Perceptions of Government Interventions during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Uganda”
    • Presentation 3:Tomohiro HOSOI, PhD Student, the University of Tokyo “Middle-Class Experience of COVID-19 in South Africa”
    • Comments:Masaki INABA, Program Director for Global Health, Africa Japan Forum
    • Questions and Answers

Application

English Information and Registration about our symposium:
vent/12316/ (EN)


Contact

SDGs Collaborative Research Unit,
Institute for Future Initiatives, the University of Tokyo

  • sdgs [at] (replace [at] with @)



UNU-IAS Postgraduate Degree Programmes

Dear friends and colleagues,

We are pleased to inform you that
applications are now open for the September 2024 intake of the UNU-IAS
master’s and doctoral degree programmes focused on sustainability.

About the UNU-IAS Postgraduate Degree Programmes

MSc in Sustainability

The Master of Science in Sustainability Programme is a two-year programme, which provides students with the knowledge and practical skills necessary to contribute to solving challenges of sustainability. Drawing on an innovative, interdisciplinary approach, the programme integrates methods and resources from the natural and social sciences, as well as the humanities.

The programme is intended for recent graduates, professionals, and
practitioners who seek to meaningfully contribute to the work of
governments, civil society, the private sector, and/or the UN and other
international organizations in the area of sustainability.

◦ Application deadline: 25 February 2024.
◦ Start of the academic year: September 2024.

More information on the programme (including structure, language, admission requirements, scholarship and fees) can be found here
().

PhD in Sustainability Science

The Doctor of Philosophy in Sustainability Science Programme is a
three-year programme that takes an innovative approach to sustainability, seeking to promote a better understanding of the issues by incorporating global change perspectives.

This programme will equip graduates with comprehensive, multidisciplinary knowledge of sustainability problems, and deepen their understanding of the role of environmental sustainability in addressing current issues related to global change, specifically those related to climate change and biodiversity.

◦ Application deadline: 3 March 2024.
◦ Start of the academic year: September 2024.

More information on the programme (structure, language, admission
requirements, scholarship and fees) can be found here
().


Contact

  • #contact



KED Seminar #29 at 16:45 on January 11, 2024

Kyoto Environment and Development (KED) Seminar is taking place at 16:45 pm on Thursday January 11th. We will welcome David Wolf from Kobe University, and he will talk about the hedonic valuation of private hurricane protection.

Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #29

  • Date&Time: January 11, 2024, Thursday 16:45-18:15 (JST)
  • Language: English
  • Venue: E217, Main Bldg., Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University / Zoom Web
  • Seminar Speaker:  David Wolf (Kobe University)

Register in advance for this meeting:

eting/register/tZUqc-yoqzkoEtb_6EqjTtRp0VyZEU0dmPXz

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing
information about joining the meeting.

Title:

Batten Down the Hatches: Hedonic Valuation of Private Hurricane
Protection (co-authored with Kenji Takeuchi, Kyoto University, and Tang
Cheng Keat, Nanyang Technological University)

Abstract:

Climate change is expected to exacerbate hurricane damage by
increasing the intensity and decreasing the speed at which hurricanes
travel. While most relevant studies have emphasized the economic
consequences of flooding, hurricanes often inflict more damage via the wind than water. We contribute to this literature by developing a novel dataset which allows us to pinpoint the location of wind-struck buildings using high-resolution imagery taken after Hurricane Irma in 2017, object-based image classification algorithms, and property records from Lee County, Florida. We find properties damaged by the wind are sold at a 2% ($4,800) to 4% ($9,600) discount immediately after Hurricane Irma. This discount dissipates approximately 6 to 12-months out, though, reflecting the speed at which repairs are made. Furthermore, utilizing countywide permitting information, we find that re-roofing after experiencing wind damage can more than compensate for these initial losses. Additionally, buildings with roofs built after a 2001 statewide law change are found to be 1% to 3% less likely to be damaged by high-speed hurricane winds, with further but diminishing protection provided from more recent building standard revisions. Taken altogether, our analysis underscores the pivotal role of building codes in safeguarding property and reducing the associated costs from inadequate wind protection.

Chair:

Mitani (Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University)


Contact

Ken Miura

  • [at] (replace [at] with @)



KED Seminar #28 at 3pm on December 28

Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #28

  • Date&Time: December 28, 2023, Thursday, 15:00-16:30 (JST)
  • Language: 日本語 Japanese
  • Venue: E217, Main Bldg., Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University / Zoom Web Seminar
  • Speaker: Keisuke Takano (Saga University)

If you want to join it via Zoom, register in advance for this meeting:
eting/register/tZEpceGprDIpE9VgH0Q3pUEIUWtK4ItnmkgY

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing
information about joining the meeting.

Title:

Path-dependence in the location of business agglomeration: Case of postwar land requisition

Abstract:

To what extent is the recovery of economic agglomeration after a
negative shock disturbed by limited opportunities for investment? This
paper sheds light on this question by investigating the impact of the WW2 allied bombings and the postwar land requisition by the US Army in Yokohama City, Japan. Using the newly digitized location information of firms before and after WW2, this study examines whether the forced relocation of firms persistently altered the distribution of business activities. I show that land requisition reduces the size of historical agglomerations, and this negative effect lasted even after the occupied land was retroceded. I additionally show that the within-city relocation and the failure of public investment drove the decline of the agglomeration.

Chair:

Miura (Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University)


Contact:

Ken Miura

  • [at]  (replace [at] with @)



New Publication: Introducing Foreign Models for Development: Japanese Experience and Cooperation in the Age of New Technology (Springer)

Introducing Foreign Models for Development: Japanese Experience and Cooperation in the Age of New Technology

This is Izumi Ohno, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS). We are pleased to inform you that our open access book, 『Introducing Foreign Models for Development: Japanese Experience and Cooperation in the Age of New Technology』(edited by Izumi Ohno, Kimiaki Jin, Kuniaki Amatsu, and Junichi Mori) has been just published from Springer. It is written by ten authors with rich experience in research and practice in development cooperation. For those interested, the book is downloadable from the link below.

This book studies how foreign models of economic development can be effectively learned by and applied to today’s latecomer countries. The key concepts are translative adaptation and local learning. It contains many case studies based on Japan’s past experience and its extensive development cooperation in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

The book is built on a research project by JICA Ogata Research Institute, “Japanese Experience of Industrial Development and Development Cooperation: Analysis of the Translational Adaptation Process.”

Table of Contents

Part I Translative Adaptation in the Industrialization Process
1. Introducing Foreign Models for Development: A Perspective from Translative Adaptation (Izumi Ohno)

2. Industrial Policies for Learning, Innovation, and Transformation: Insights from Japan and Selected Countries (Akio Hosono)

Part II Case Studies from Japan, Asia, Latin America, and Africa
3. Japan’s State Learning in the Meiji Period from the Vision Perspective (Kuniaki Amatsu)

4. National Movements for Quality and Productivity Improvement with Local Adaptation: The Experience of Japan and Singapore (Izumi Ohno and Getahun Tadesse Mekonen)

5. Bilateral Policy Dialogue: Japanese Cooperation for Enhancing Industrial Policy Capacity (Kenichi Ohno, Akio Hosono, Kuniaki Amatsu, and Minoru Yamada)

6. Industry Engagement in TVET and the Japanese Cooperation in Vietnam: The Case of Hanoi University of Industry (Junichi Mori)

7. Promoting Kaizen in Africa: 10-Years of Experience of Japanese Cooperation in Tunisia and Ethiopia (Tsuyoshi Kikuchi)

8. Thailand’s Experience of Learning Industrial Technologies and Monodzukuri Education with Localization (Izumi Ohno and Junichi Mori)

Part III Translative Adaptation in a Changing World
9. Kaizen and Non-cognitive Skills Development in Africa in the Age of Digitalization (Kimiaki Jin)

10. New Industrial Landscape: Implications for Industrial Policy and Japanese Industrial Development Cooperation (Toru Homma)


Contact:

Izumi Ohno (GRIPS) 

  • Email: i-ohno [at]  (replace [at] with @)



KED Seminar #26 at 3pm on October 26 [for Members and Generals]

Kyoto Environment and Development (KED) Seminar is taking place at 3pm this Thursday.

We will welcome Takashi Kurosaki from Hitotsubashi University, and he will talk about the effects of the Covid-19 & Natural Agricultural Shocks on Preferences of Pakistani Farmers.

Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #26

  • Date &Time: October 26, 2023, Thursday, 15:00-16:30 (JST)
  • Language: English
  • Venue: Seminar Room E217 (GSA, Kyoto University) / Zoom Web Seminar
  • Speaker: Takashi Kurosaki (Hitotsubashi University)

If you would like to join this meeting via Zoom, register in advance:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about the meeting.

Title:

Effects of the Covid-19 & Natural Agricultural Shocks on Preferences of Pakistani Farmers (co-authored with Hamza Umer, Hitotsubashi University)

Abstract:

It is imperative to examine how different negative shocks influence preferences because preferences influence micro level decisions that provide foundations for macro-level outcomes. We contribute to this domain by reporting an incentivized field experiment that examined the effects of agr icultural income shocks driven by either the Covid-19 or other natural calamities on preferences of Pakistani farmers such as risk-taking, impatience, generosity and fairness. We find that the Covid-19 shock reduced impatience and generosity while the natural shock increased risk-aversion. Our findi ngs suggest that despite having a similar impact on farmers’ agricultural income, the two shocks influence a different set of preferences, and hence, we need to measure them both to identify their precise impact on preferences. Overall, these results offer new information about the relative impacts of the Covid-19 and natural shocks on preferences and help us understand the wealth and age-based heterogeneous effects of these shocks.


Contact

Chair: Ken Miura (Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University)

  • Ken Miura [at]  (replace [at] with @)



39th Professional Statistical Analysis Workshop [for Members and Generals]

Basic and Advanced techniques for Impact Evaluation

“Anyone can understand without fail and you can be a professional !!”

  • Participant’s voice 1: “The instructor explained everything using only +, −, ×, ÷. It was truly amazing”.
  • Participant’s voice 2: “Very happy because I became able to read academic theses using statistics, and now I am reading many day by day”.

Outline

  • Date: December 19 (Tue), 21 (Thu) , 22 (Fri), 2023
  • Venue: Zoom. You can access anywhere in the world. Lectures will be video-recorded. Participants can access and watch those videos (in one week after the workshop)
  • Language: English. (The instructors are Ph.D. holders from American universities)
  • Host: IDCJ Evaluation Department

(Website)

(Program)

Instructor

– Ryo SASAKI, Ph.D. in Evaluation, Western Michigan University (USA)
– Keiichi TAKAKI, Ph.D. in Sociology, Stanford University (USA)

Max and Minimum Number of participants

Max 20 (Minimum Attendants for implementation:10 people)

Prerequisites

(1) You should be able to implement addition, subtraction, multiplication, division (+, –, ÷, ×).

Register

Click and fill-in the following google form: (i) your name, (ii) organization name, (iii)email address and (iv) any comment/inquiry.

(Google forms)

Fee

JPY 29,000 (tax included) for full two days participation: JPY 8,000 (tax included) for only 1st session (“Presentation of Impact Evaluation Case Studies”)

Due date

December 1(Fri), 2023

Text

A set of softcopy of texts will be distributed in advance in PDF format. In addition, a set of hardcopies of texts will be sent to the residents in Japan in advance.


Contact

Ryo SASAKI, Ph.D.
Senior Researcher, Evaluation Department.
International Development Center of Japan (IDCJ).

  • [at]  (replace [at] with @)



Journey Towards Gender Equality in Kenya

“Journey Towards Gender Equality in Kenya: Exploring the Intersection of Gender, Law, and Custom”

We are delighted to extend an invitation to you for our upcoming hybrid seminar, “Journey Towards Gender Equality in Kenya: Exploring the Intersection of Gender, Law, and Custom.”

Details of the seminar are as follows:

  • Date and Time: 4th October 2023, 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM (EAT)
  • Venue: Japanese Embassy in Kenya (Mara Road, Upper Hill. Nairobi) and Online (Zoom)
  • Registration: Please register using this link

Organized by:

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Nairobi Research Station
Faculty of Law, University of Nairobi
African Women Studies Center, University of Nairobi

Seminar Description:

This seminar will delve into the multifaceted journey toward gender equality in Kenya, focusing on the complex interplay between gender dynamics, legal frameworks, and cultural customs. Following an inspiring keynote address by Hon. Roseline Njogu from the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya, distinguished experts and scholars will share their insights and engage in discussions to illuminate both the challenges and advancements in this vital area.

To access detailed information about the event, including the agenda, speakers, and registration, please refer to the attached poster. The registration link is provided within the poster for your convenience.

We encourage you to participate in this insightful seminar, either in person at the Japanese Embassy in Kenya or online, as it promises to be a platform for valuable discussions and knowledge sharing.

Program

WELCOME REMARKS:
PROFESSOR WINIFRED KAMAU, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

KEYNOTE SPEECH:
HON. ROSELINE NJOGU, THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY,
STATE DEPARTMENT FOR DIASPORA AFFAIRS,
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AND DIASPORA AFFAIRS OF KENYA

SESSION 1 – GENDER EQUALITY IN KENYA FROM LEGAL PERSPECTIVE
MODERATOR: MS AYAKO HATANO, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
SPEAKERS :
DR AGNES MEROKA-MUTUA, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI
MS. YVONNE ANYANGO OYIEKE, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI
DR ROSELINE MUTUKU, STRATHMORE UNIVERSITY

SESSION 2 – GENDER EQUALITY IN KENYA FROM INTERDISCIPLINARY
PERSPECTIVE
MODERATOR: DR AGNES MEROKA-MUTUA, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI
SPEAKERS:
DR MANAMI HAYASHI, UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-AFRICA
DR CAROLINE MARYGORETY AKINYI OTIENO, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI
MS AYAKO HATANO, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

CLOSING REMARKS
DR YUMI YAMANE, DIRECTOR OF JSPS NAIROBI RESEARCH STATION


Contact

Should you have any questions or require further information, do not hesitate to contact us at:

  • Link to Poster 
  • Email: nbo-academia [at] (replace [at] with @)
  • Tel: +254 740 181 283 (WhatsApp)

Feel free to share this invitation with anyone who might be interested in the event. Please save the date, and we look forward to your participation.




“Resilience Seminar #41” Jan. 26 [for Members and Generals]

The Resilience seminar cordially invite you to join the following hybrid seminar.
For zoom participation, prior registration is required here.

Resilience Seminar #41

  • Date & Time: January 26, 2023, Thu 16:30-18:15 JST
  • Language: English
  • Venue: Seminar Room E220, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University
    and Zoom Web Seminar (hybrid)

Speaker

Masanori Matsuura, Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO)

Title

Weather Shocks, Livelihood Diversification, and Household Food Security: Empirical Evidence from Rural Bangladesh

Abstract

Extreme weather shocks have occurred more frequently because of global climate change. Livelihood diversification including crop and income diversification is one of the most remarkable strategies to cope with economic and weather shocks to improve rural livelihood. We investigate the empirical linkages among weather shocks, livelihood diversification, and household food security, exploiting three waves of nationally representative rural household panel data merged with granular climate data in Bangladesh

Brief bio

Mr. Masanori Matsuura worked for a Japanese private think tank as an analyst and obtained MSc in Agricultural Economics at National Taiwan University, prior to joining IDE-JETRO. His research interests lie in the intersection among climate change, food security, health, and rural development.


Contact

Division of Natural Resource Economics
Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University
Ken Miura

  • [at] (replace [at] with @)

*This seminar is co-hosted by Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar and Hokkaido Branch of Japan Association for African Studies.




Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #17 April 20 [for Members and Generals]

The Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar cordially invite you to join the hybrid seminar.

Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #19-20

  • Date & Time: May 25, 2023, Thursday, 15:00-18:15 (JST)
  • Language: English
  • Venue: Seminar Room E217 (GSA, Kyoto University) / Zoom Web Seminar
  • Speaker: Takeshi Sakurai (University of Tokyo) and John Gibson (University of Waikato)

Register in advance for this meeting:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Presentation by Takeshi Sakurai
Title: Improving Infant Nutrition through the Market: Experimental Evidence from Ghana

Abstract:

This study investigates the impact on infants’ nutritional status of introducing a new complementary food product for infants into the market. We conducted experimental sales of the product, Koko Plus, with randomly selected mother-infant pairs every week for half a year in Ghana. We found that the introduction of Koko Plus into the market significantly increased children’s weight. However, the effect was heterogeneous: it was smaller among children whose baseline weight was lower. We investigated the mechanisms underlying this heterogeneity and found that it was associated with access to safe drinking water. If mothers gave their children safe drinking water, the sale of Koko Plus significantly increased their child’s weight regardless of baseline nutrition status. The results imply that the success of a market-based approach to complementary food products in improving infant nutrition is dependent on access to safe drinking water.

Presentation by John Gibson
Title: Measuring rural economic activity remotely: Do we just need better sensors?

Abstract:

It is difficult and expensive to measure rural economic activity in developing countries. The usual survey-based approach is less informative than often realized due to combined effects of the clustered samples dictated by survey logistics and the spatial autocorrelation in rural livelihoods. Administrative data, like sub-national Gross Domestic Product for lower level spatial units, are often unavailable and informality and seasonality of many rural activities raises doubts about the accuracy of these measurements. In order to overcome these barriers a recent literature argues that high-resol ution satellite imagery can be used to measure rural economic activity and can provide indicators of rural living standards. Potential advantages of using remote sensing data include greater comparability between countries irrespective of their varying levels of statistical capacity, cheaper and mor e timely data availability, and the possibility of extending estimates to spatial units below the level at which GDP data or survey data are reported. While there are many types of remote sensing data, economists have particularly seized upon satellite-detected nighttime lights (NTL) as a proxy for local economic activity. Yet there are growing doubts about the universal usefulness of this proxy, with recent evidence suggesting that NTL data are a poor proxy in low-density rural areas of developing countries. This study examines performance in predicting rural sector economic activity in China with different types of satellite-detected NTL data that come from sensors of varying resolution. We include the most popular NTL source in economics, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program data, whose resolution is, at best, 2.7 km, two data sources from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiomet er Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi/NPP satellite which have spatial resolution of km, and data from the Luojia-01 satellite which is even more spatially precise, with a resolution of km. With this range of resolutions we can ascertain whether better sensors, used by the more spatially precise d ata sources, lead to more accurate predictions of county-level primary sector GDP. We supplement this statistical assessment with a set of ground-truthing exercises. Overall, our study helps to inform decisions about future data directions for studying rural economic activity in developing countries .

Chair:

Ken Miura (Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University)


Contact

Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University
 Ken Miura

  • @ (replace [at] with @)



International Workshop on “Asian urbanism and urban informality” June 30 [ [for Members and Generals]]

International Workshop on
“Asian urbanism and urban informality”

With rapid and compressed development and urbanisation, Asian mega cities become global hubs of production, finance and consumption, attracting the global investors and emerging upper class, but at the same time, exhibiting the continuous expansion of the urban informality. Globalization, digitalization and neo-liberal order are further accelerating the socioeconomic transformation of these emerging cities. The workshop introduces cutting-edge researches on dynamism and dilemma of Asian urban development as well as new features of the urban informality.

Overview

  • Date and Time: June 30th, 2023 (Fri) 14:40-17:40
  • Venue: Saitama university (Theater room)
  • Language: English

Speakers:

Ⅰ. Frontier of Asian urban development

1. ‘Circulating Asian Urbanism’
Hyun Bang Shin (Professor of Geography and Urban Studies and Director of the Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre, London School of Economics)

Ⅱ. New dynamism of urban informality in Asia

2. ‘Diversification Strategies of “Self” and Informality: A Case Study on Business Transaction Using Social Media Between Asian and African Countries’
Sayaka Ogawa (Professor, Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences, Ritsumeikan University)

3. Why was Duterte’s War on Drugs Justified? : Transformation of Spaces, Socialites, and Subjectivities in Metro Manila’
Wataru Kusaka (Professor, Graduate School of Global Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)

Discussants:

  1. Zhe Ren (Research fellow, Institute of Developing Economies, IDE-JETRO)
  2. Ai Hisano (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, University of Tokyo)
  3. Nazia Hussain (Assistant Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, University of Tokyo)

Moderators:

  • Tamaki Endo (Saitama University)
  • Kenta Goto (Kansai University)

This will be a hybrid event with attendees welcome in person and via zoom.
To register, (Deadline, June 28th, Wed)

Access: Saitama University ()

For the detail, please check the posters

Organizer:

KAKEN Research Project “Informalizing Asia: Dynamics and dilemma of global mega cities”,
(Grant-Aid for Scientific Research (A), Principle Investigator, Professor Tamaki Endo, Saitama University)

Co-organizer:

  • Saitama University
  • Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO)

Contact

Tamaki Endo

  • endo [at]



Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #17 April 20 [for Members and Generals]

The Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar cordially invite you to join the hybrid seminar.

Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #19-20

  • Date & Time: May 25, 2023, Thursday, 15:00-18:15 (JST)
  • Language: English
  • Venue: Seminar Room E217 (GSA, Kyoto University) / Zoom Web Seminar
  • Speaker: Takeshi Sakurai (University of Tokyo) and John Gibson (University of Waikato)

Register in advance for this meeting:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Presentation by Takeshi Sakurai
Title: Improving Infant Nutrition through the Market: Experimental Evidence from Ghana

Abstract:

This study investigates the impact on infants’ nutritional status of introducing a new complementary food product for infants into the market. We conducted experimental sales of the product, Koko Plus, with randomly selected mother-infant pairs every week for half a year in Ghana. We found that the introduction of Koko Plus into the market significantly increased children’s weight. However, the effect was heterogeneous: it was smaller among children whose baseline weight was lower. We investigated the mechanisms underlying this heterogeneity and found that it was associated with access to safe drinking water. If mothers gave their children safe drinking water, the sale of Koko Plus significantly increased their child’s weight regardless of baseline nutrition status. The results imply that the success of a market-based approach to complementary food products in improving infant nutrition is dependent on access to safe drinking water.

Presentation by John Gibson
Title: Measuring rural economic activity remotely: Do we just need better sensors?

Abstract:

It is difficult and expensive to measure rural economic activity in developing countries. The usual survey-based approach is less informative than often realized due to combined effects of the clustered samples dictated by survey logistics and the spatial autocorrelation in rural livelihoods. Administrative data, like sub-national Gross Domestic Product for lower level spatial units, are often unavailable and informality and seasonality of many rural activities raises doubts about the accuracy of these measurements. In order to overcome these barriers a recent literature argues that high-resol ution satellite imagery can be used to measure rural economic activity and can provide indicators of rural living standards. Potential advantages of using remote sensing data include greater comparability between countries irrespective of their varying levels of statistical capacity, cheaper and mor e timely data availability, and the possibility of extending estimates to spatial units below the level at which GDP data or survey data are reported. While there are many types of remote sensing data, economists have particularly seized upon satellite-detected nighttime lights (NTL) as a proxy for local economic activity. Yet there are growing doubts about the universal usefulness of this proxy, with recent evidence suggesting that NTL data are a poor proxy in low-density rural areas of developing countries. This study examines performance in predicting rural sector economic activity in China with different types of satellite-detected NTL data that come from sensors of varying resolution. We include the most popular NTL source in economics, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program data, whose resolution is, at best, 2.7 km, two data sources from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiomet er Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi/NPP satellite which have spatial resolution of km, and data from the Luojia-01 satellite which is even more spatially precise, with a resolution of km. With this range of resolutions we can ascertain whether better sensors, used by the more spatially precise d ata sources, lead to more accurate predictions of county-level primary sector GDP. We supplement this statistical assessment with a set of ground-truthing exercises. Overall, our study helps to inform decisions about future data directions for studying rural economic activity in developing countries .

Chair:

Ken Miura (Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University)


Contact

Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University
 Ken Miura

  • @ (replace [at] with @)



“Seminar on Land Tenure, Inheritance, and Gender in Middle East” May23 [for Members and Generals]

Institute of Islamic Area Studies at Sophia University invites Myriam Ababsa (associate researcher at the French Institute for the Near-East (IFPO)), and hold a research seminar on the property, inheritance and gender in Jordan with Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) “Research Project on Islam and Gender: Towards a Comprehensive Discussion” (Principal Investigator: Eiji Nagasawa) and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) “Maslaha as practiced in Muslim societies: A comparative study with a special focus on rights of socially disadvantaged people” (Principal Investigator: Satoe Horii).

Myriam Ababsa is social geographer based in Jordan since 2000. Her work focuses on the impact of public policies on regional and urban development in Jordan and Syria. She also works for the United Nations as an urban planner. In this seminar, she will talk about the land tenure and inheritance system in Jordan, and social mechanism to exclude women from land property based on the fieldwork she carried out in Jordan in 2015-2016.

Kazuaki Takemura (Takachiho University), who has been studying land ownership in the desert with Egypt as his field, will comment on her presentation from a comparison with Egypt.

Overview

  • Time: May 23 (Tues) 2023, 17:30 – 19:00
  • Place
    [Onsite] Building 2, Room 730 (7th floor), Sophia University Yotsuya Campus()
    [Online] Zoom
  • Language: English

Program

17:30-17:35 
Opening
Erina IWASAKI (Sophia University)

17:35-18:20 
Myriam ABABSA (French Institute for the Near-East: IFPO)
“Women’s Land Inheritance Rights and Practices in Jordan”

18:20-18:30
Comments
Kazuaki TAKEMURA (Takachiho University)

18:30-19:00
Discussions

Registration

(Registration deadline May 18, 2023 )*Seminar URL will be sent to you later.

 Organization

  • Research on the Dynamics of the Reconstruction of Publicness in Contemporary Islam (Academic Research Promotion Fund by the Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan) (Principal Investigator: Masayuki Akahori)
  • Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) “Maslaha as practiced in Muslim societies: A comparative study with a special focus on rights of socially disadvantaged people” (Principal Investigator: Satoe Horii)
  • Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) “Research Project on Islam and Gender: Towards a Comprehensive Discussion” (Principal Investigator: Eiji Nagasawa)

Contact

Institute of Islamic Area Studies, Sophia University

  • sias-co[at] please change [at] to @

Myriam Ababsa has directed the Atlas of Jordan. History, Territories, Society (Ifpo 2013), and co-edited with Baudouin Dupret and Eric Denis Popular Housing and Urban Land Tenure in the Middle East (University of Cairo Press, 2012) and with Rami Daher, Cities, Urban Practices and Nation Building in Jordan (Ifpo 2011).
She holds a PhD in Geography from the University François Rabelais of Tours (2004) on Raqqa (Syrian Studies Association, Best Doctoral Dissertation Prize, Special Mention, 2006).




Public Notice of the Election of Candidates for the Board of Directors [from May 9 to May 23]

Dear Members of the Japan Society for International Development

This is an announcement from the Election Committee. The following election will be held to select candidates for the Category 1 Board of Directors, term 12, of the Japan Society for International Development (JASID). Please participate in the voting.

1. Election Period

May 9th, 2023 (Tue) 8:00am ~ May 23rd (Tue) 17:00 (Japan time)

2. Electors and Candidates

1) Electors (those eligible to vote in the election):
Those who were members of JASID as of December 4th, 2022 (on the day of General Assembly). However, those who have issued a notice of recess are excluded.

2) Candidates (candidates for the election of Category 1 Board of Directors):
The list was finalized on April 9, 2023 (30 days before the election date), and the list can be viewed and downloaded by logging in to the member’s My Page on the Society’s website. Password* is required to view the file. Please use this list only for election purposes and refrain from copying or printing it.
*Password are emailed to eligible members.

3. Implementation Method

It will be an online election using the web election system.
1) At 8:00 a.m. on May 9, two e-mails will be sent to each member from the JASID Election Administration Committee. The first one contains a URL to access the web election system.

  • 【国際開発学会 選挙管理委員会/JASID】Notification of Board Member Election System Login ID (1/2)
  • 【国際開発学会 選挙管理委員会/JASID】Notification of Board Member Election System Login PW (2/2)

2) How to operate the web election system
Please refer to the following.
Election System Operation Manual (PDF) (Japanese and English, English starts from page 10)

[How to use the web election system (YouTube) English version]

4. Election Helpdesk

During the election period (May 9~23), a help desk will be set up by the election administration committee members. If you have any problems, please contact us by email.

For technical matters, the committee will contact the contractor of the web system, so it may take about one day. Thank you for your understanding.

5. Ballot counting and reporting the results

1) Date and time of Ballot Counting:
May 23rd 2023, 18:00

2) Date of reporting the vote results to the members:
Newsletter to be issued on August 1, 2023 (Vol. 34, No.3)

6. Term of office of the next Board of Directors

Three years from this year’s General Meeting (until the General Assembly in three years)

More Details

For details, there is a dedicated website about the election of Board of Directors, term 12, of the Japan Society for International Development:


Contact

Election Administration Committee
Elli Sugita (Chairperson)

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Election Administration Commission

  • election11 [at] (replace [at] with @)



Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #17 April 20 [for Members and Generals]

The Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar cordially invite you to join the hybrid seminar.

Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #17

  • Date & Time: April 20, 2023, Thursday, 11:00-12:15 (JST)
  • Language: English
  • Venue: Seminar Room E220 (GSA, Kyoto University) / Zoom Web Seminar
  • Speaker: Christian Traeger (University of Oslo)

Register in advance for this meeting:

meeting/register/tZUpfuGoqzsrHtRJznPJMDHnZZC2n6d71ZbP
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Title:

SolACE — Solar Geoengineering in an Analytic Climate Economy

Chair:

Yohei Mitani (Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University)


Contact

Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University
 Ken Miura

  • @ (replace [at] with @)



Recruitment: PhD and Postdoc Positions in Barcelona, Spain

The Sustainability, Economics, and Ethics (SEE) Research Group at Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona, Spain, is offering the following positions:

1. PhD in Sustainable Development in China

 

2. MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship in Sustainability, Economics and Ethics

Please access the above links for further information on how to apply for each position.


Contact

Any questions can be addressed to

  • see [at] (* replace [at] with@)
  • PoPMeD-SuSDeV:



Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #16, on Feb. 16 [for Members and Generals]

Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #16

Paddy Cultivation as an Origin of Cooperative Norms: Evidence from Natural and Artefactual Experiments

  • Date & Time: February 16, 2023, Thursday, 16:45-18:15 (JST)
  • Language: English
  • Venue: Seminar Room E220 (GSA, Kyoto University) / Zoom Web Seminar
  • Speaker: Kei Kajisa (Aoyama Gakuin University)

Register in advance for this meeting:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Abstract:

It has been argued that the paddy cultivation experience enhances cooperative norms through collective farm management. This study aims to test this paddy hypothesis using a unique natural experimental setting in rural Sri Lanka, where two types of irrigation (for paddy or for non-paddy) were randomly assigned to farmers in an irrigation scheme, and, thus, the cultivated crops were exogenously determined.

Compared to the previous large-scale regional or nationwide comparisons, this setting enables us to test the hypothesis under a geographically and culturally homogenous setting. Using these natural and lab-in-the-field experiments, we show that the paddy cultivation experience enhances cooperative norms, particularly among the known members.

This result is consistent with our data showing the greater extent of interdependent work in the real world among paddy farmers. Our study supports the group of literatures which claims that social preference can endogenously change through real-world farming experiences.

Keywords:

Cooperative norms, paddy cultivation, irrigation


Contact

Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University
Chair: Ken Miura

  • [at] (replace [at] with @)



Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #15, on Feb. 13 [for Members and Generals]

Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #15

Family business during the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia:
Role of government financial aid and coping strategies

  • Date & Time: February 13, 2023, Thursday, 16:00-17:30 (JST)
  • Language: English
  • Venue: Seminar Room E217 (GSA, Kyoto University) / Zoom Web Seminar
  • Speaker: Wataru Kodama (The University of Göttingen)

Register in advance for this meeting:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic has heavily affected economic activities. In Asian countries, where small family businesses play central roles in their economics, previous studies found that the sector was particularly hit by the pandemic.

However, little is known how households have mitigated the negative shocks on their family business during the pandemic. Using ADBI’s representative household surveys in seventeen Asian countries from ASEAN and CAREC regions, this paper investigates the role of coping strategies and government financial aid in mitigating the adverse impacts of the pandemic on family business conditions during the pandemic.

We find that (i) coping strategy is associated with lower probability of both a decline in family business income and family business closure; and (ii) government financial aid is associated with the former probability, partly through affecting the probability of adopting effective coping strategies.

We also find some important heterogeneous effects between female-headed and male-headed households, between ASEAN and CAREC countries, and among different business sectors.


Contact

Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University
Chair: Ken Miura

  • [at] (replace [at] with @)



“Resilience Seminar #41” Jan. 26 [for Members and Generals]

The Resilience seminar cordially invite you to join the following hybrid seminar.
For zoom participation, prior registration is required here.

Resilience Seminar #41

  • Date & Time: January 26, 2023, Thu 16:30-18:15 JST
  • Language: English
  • Venue: Seminar Room E220, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University
    and Zoom Web Seminar (hybrid)

Speaker

Masanori Matsuura, Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO)

Title

Weather Shocks, Livelihood Diversification, and Household Food Security: Empirical Evidence from Rural Bangladesh

Abstract

Extreme weather shocks have occurred more frequently because of global climate change. Livelihood diversification including crop and income diversification is one of the most remarkable strategies to cope with economic and weather shocks to improve rural livelihood. We investigate the empirical linkages among weather shocks, livelihood diversification, and household food security, exploiting three waves of nationally representative rural household panel data merged with granular climate data in Bangladesh

Brief bio

Mr. Masanori Matsuura worked for a Japanese private think tank as an analyst and obtained MSc in Agricultural Economics at National Taiwan University, prior to joining IDE-JETRO. His research interests lie in the intersection among climate change, food security, health, and rural development.


Contact

Division of Natural Resource Economics
Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University
Ken Miura

  • [at] (replace [at] with @)

*This seminar is co-hosted by Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar and Hokkaido Branch of Japan Association for African Studies.




Invitation to the National Conference on Pandemic-Driven Crisis at GITAM (Deemed to be) University, Hyderabad (INDIA), 24-25 November [for Members and Generals]

Department of Economics, GITAM School of Humanities and Social Sciences (GSHS), in collaboration with Council for Social Development (CSD) Hyderabad, India, is organizing a National Conference at GITAM (Deemed to be University) Hyderabad campus on 24-25 November. The conference theme is, “Multi-Pronged Responses and Resilience to the Pandemic-Driven Crisis: From Socio-Economic Spheres in the Indian Context”.

The conference will be conducted in HYBRID mode. We would like to invite all the researchers working on the Indian economy, including PhD students to the upcoming conference.

Please check the following conference webpage for more details. The Zoom link of the conference will be shared with the participants later on.

Please note that the abstract submission due date is November 7, 2022. However, we are open to extend it by one more week to November 14, 2022, for ONLINE participants.


Contact

Dr Mandar V. Kulkarni
Organizing Secretary
Department of Economics,
GITAM School of Humanities and Social Sciences,
GITAM Deemed to be University, Hyderabad Campus

  • [at]
  • mandar11 [at]

(replace [at] with @)




Webinar “Higher Education for A Just and Sustainable World 1 Transforming teaching and learning” Nov. 26 [for Members and Generals]

Scholars from Beijing Normal University, The University of Hong Kong and The University of Tokyo will introduce their experiences in transforming teaching and learning in higher education for a just and sustainable world.

Please find the concept note and registration information below.
Look forward to your participation!

International Webinar Series 2022
Reframing A New Social Contract for Education in Asia-Pacific Region

Higher Education for A Just and Sustainable World 1
Transforming teaching and learning

  • November 26, 2022, 14:00-16:00 (Japan Standard Time)
  • Graduate School of Education, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan

Concept Note

Background

Global society is facing unprecedented crises caused by digital technology, climate change, democratic regression, social disparities, and their impact on education and our societies. To address these crises, in 2021 UNESCO released a report entitled Reimagining Our Futures Together. The report stated that education itself needs to be transformed in order to build a peaceful, just, and sustainable future. The report also stated that in order to solve global challenges, including education, we need to ask three essential questions about education as a social contract as we move toward 2050 It is suggested that we reexamine the process of deciding what to continue, what to stop, and what to rebuild. The search for answers to these questions led to this year’s international webinar series.

With a rapid economic and social change in the Asia-Pacific region, many universities have actively promoted the SDGs. According to the 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) impact ranking (THE, 2022), 534 out of 1,410 reported universities were located in the Asia-Pacific region. One third of them were in a top 100 university ranking position. Furthermore, these universities have achieved highly performed engagement in promoting the SDGs. Although a vast amount of research in the Asia-Pacific region covers the topic of higher education, studies unveiling the transformation of HES remain dispersed and scarce. How have Asia-Pacific higher education institutions responded to challenges outlined in the SDGs? In what ways do Asia-Pacific universities transform their structures and practices of teaching and learning? How have higher education institutions addressed demands for sustainability unde r social, economic, cultural, and environmental pressures? This webinar provides three case studies promoting sustainability in higher education institutions through transforming teaching and learning in China, Hong Kong SAR (China), and Japan.

Objectives

• Enhance understanding of progress and challenges for higher education to innovate teaching and learning for sustainability in Asia-Pacific.
• Share experiences of efforts for transforming teaching and learning for sustainability through higher education in Asia-Pacific
• Exchange insights of the role of universities in achieving SDGs.
Expected outputs
• Scholars from Asia-Pacific Region share their institutions’ experiences of transforming teaching and learning to promote higher education for sustainability.
• Find new opportunities and approach to collaborate for promoting higher education for sustainability.

Agenda

14:00 Opening
14:10 Case studies
The Way to Sustainability: Education for Sustainable Development in China
Dr. Zhiyong Zhu College of Educational Administration Faculty of Education
Beijing Normal University

Preparing Our Students to Become Future-Ready through University-Wide Transdisciplinary General Education: Experience of the Common Core at the University of Hong Kong
Mr. Adrian Man Ho Lam Research Group Member, Guest Lecturer, and Course Tutor for the Common Core at the University of Hong Kong

Exploring the transformative potential of design thinking pedagogy in hybrid setting: a case study of field exercise course, Japan
Dr. Sadaf Taimer Global Leadership Initiative (GPSS-GLI), University of Tokyo

15:10 Break

15:20 Discussion
Discussants:
Dr. Zhou Zhong Institute of Education, Tsinghua University; Graduate School of Education, Tohoku University
Dr. Roger Yap Chao Jr. Assistant Director, Education, Youth & Sport Division, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Department

15:50 Q & A

16:00 Closing

Registration Link


Contact

Dr. Jing Liu, Graduate School of Education, Tohoku University

  • Email: [at] (replace [at] with @)

 




The Japan Society for Afrasian Studies (JSAS), Annual Academic Conference, July 9th [for Members and Generals]

The Japan Society for Afrasian Studies (JSAS) will hold its annual academic conference on July 9th 2022 (one day). JSAS is a multi-disciplinary research platform of African studies in Japan/Asia and, potentially, of Japanese/Asian studies in Africa. Its focus is the creation of inter-cultural and inter-generational links to facilitate dialogue among participants on issues affecting Africa and Asia.

The 2022 JSAS conference will take place as the world is still reeling from the effects and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which has restructured the political, economic, and cultural life of multiple societies in Africa, Asia, and elsewhere. 2022 will also be a year when the Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD) will be held for the second time on African soil. We welcome you to join us in our keynote and thematic sessions that will discuss these among other issues. Our keynote speakers will be;

Keynote Session 1
1. Prof. Kojo Opoku Aidoo, Visiting Professor, African Studies Center – TUFS, & Senior Research Fellow, Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana.
2. Prof. Renu Modi, Professor, University of Mumbai, & Director, Center for African Studies.

Keynote Session 2 (Special TICAD 8 Session)
1. Prof. Shinichi Takeuchi, ASC-Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
2. Prof. Katsuya Mochizuki,Toyo Eiwa University
3. Prof. Christian Otchia, Nagoya University
4. Prof. Keiichi Shirato, Ritsumeikan University


Contact

Those willing to participate are requested to access

and register. Please also see the JSAS website for details.




Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #13, on June 30 [for Members and Generals]

The Kyoto Environment and Development seminar series (zoom) are open to anyone, and so feel free to join us.

For participation, prior registration is required here.
aes-kyotonre

Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #13 June 30

How do small-scale cassava farmers overcome global issues? –cassava profit and technical efficiency in Cambodia

  • Date&Time: June 30 Thus, 10:30-11:30 (JST)
  • Language: English
  • Venue: Zoom Web Seminar
  • Speaker: Hisako Nomura (Kyusyu University)

Abstract:

Abstract: Cassava farmers are facing economic as well as multifaceted natural challenges. Regarding the economic factor, they face price fluctuations of cassava chips and fresh tubers in the global market. Also, unexpected weather conditions and diseases impact the production, too. Under global price fluctuation and unexpected natural hazards, farmers take various strategies to capture the diminishing profits. However, it is not sure which practice leads to capturing profit. Also, there might be some strategies that might even reduce profit. Therefore, this study investigates determinant factors, including inputs to profit efficiency and socio-economic variables that influence technical efficiency. In particular, we examine which farming strategy specific to cassava plantation leads to capturing profit using a Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier model. Concerning farmers’ strategies, we found that producers should not buy additional bunches for replanting and should plant at the optimized density to capture profits. Other strategies showed ambiguous outcomes. Knowing correct farming practices could improve technical efficiency for profit maximization.

Registration:

meeting/register/tZAvc-iqqzMjHtB45jr7In1IOdRPDBN_QRjg


Contact

Division of Natural Resource Economics
Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University

  • Chair: Koichi Kuriyama (Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University)
  • Organizers: Junichi Ito, Yohei Mitani, Ken Miura
  • Contact: Ken Miura/ [at] (replace [at] with @)



PhD scholarship to work on SDGs and the Leaving No One Behind (LNOB) framework at the Ramon Llull University in Barcelona

The “Enric Julià Danés Doctoral Grant” sponsors a three‐year scholarship to pursue a PhD at the IQS School of Management (Universitat Ramon Llull) in Barcelona, Spain under the “Business and Territorial Competitiveness, Innovation and Sustainability” doctoral programme.

It includes an employment con tract (annual stipend of € approx. – full time), starting in September 2022 to work on the project focused on the operationalisation of the ‘leaving no one behind’ framework for the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

It covers all tuition fees for the Doctoral Programme, during the three years, as well as some costs and stipends for relocation. It provides a unique opportunity to work with the IQS Sustainability, Economics and Ethics (SEE) research group.

The thesis will be supervised by Dr. Flavio Comim and also receive institutional support from the Independent Evaluation Office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the form of exchange of data and sharing of access to its Artificial Intelligence for Development Analytics tool AIDA containing thousands of UN evaluation reports.

For further details see jobs/799679


For any questions,

  • [at] (replace [at] with @)



Online: Open Campus of the Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University

The Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University, holds an online open campus on 2nd July as follows. We encourage all interested parties to register. We would also appreciate it if you could disseminate the information to interested students

  • Date and Time: July 2, 2022
    [Japanese session] 10:00 – 13:00 (JST)
    [English session] 14:00 – 17:00 (JST)

Registration:

Please use the QR code on the poster in the URL below to register


For inquiries

Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University.

  • Open campus-related:
    opencampus [at] (replace [at] with @)
  • Admission exam-related:
    gsidexam [at] (replace [at] with @)



CSHE Online Zoom Seminar ”Higher Education and its Research in Cambodia: For what and for whom?”

The higher education and its research in Cambodia was developed not only recent, but also uneven.
The first modern university was established only in 1960 and expanded briefly before it was interrupted by the first civil war (1970-1975) and was shuttered by the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979).

It then remained underdeveloped during the second civil war (1979-1991).

Only fairly recently has higher education and its research become an important pillar of Cambodian development strategy under the influence of the logical correlation between innovative knowledge of higher education and its research and the construction of a knowledge-based economy and society.

In this seminar, I will explore the development of higher education and its research in Cambodia after the end of civil war in early 1990s, focusing on how that affects the indicator of innovative knowledge and development in term of what for and for whom.

  • Date and time: Thursday 30th June, 2022 (14:00-16:00)
  • Prof. UN, Leang (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia)
  • Language: English (Interpretation not available)

Registration

Advance registration is requested by the following URL (Registration will be closed on 27th June)
02xU31Yz0i


Contact

Center for the Studies of Higher Education, Nagoya University

  •  info [at] (* [at] の部分を@に修正してご使用ください)
  • Tel 052-789-3534
  • Fax 052-789-5695



Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #11, on June 9 [for Members and Generals]

The Kyoto Environment and Development seminar series (zoom) are open to anyone, and so feel free to join us.

For participation, prior registration is required here.

Kyoto Environment and Development Seminar #11 June 9

Verifying seafood ecolabeling as a certification of sustainable fish stock

  • Date & Time: June 9, 2022, Thursday, 10:30-11:30 (JST)
  • Language: English
  • Venue: Zoom Web Seminar
  • Speaker: Hiroki Wakamatsu (PRIMAFF: Policy Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)

Abstract:

Seafood ecolabeling has recently shed light on a global concern about overexploitation of fish stocks. While seafood ecolabeling is positively evaluated as a tool to increase value of the certified fisheries, sometimes it is criticized its credibility and independence (or fairness) of the assessment. Targeting at the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, Gutiérrez et al. (2012) found that the fish stocks of MSC certified fisheries are exposed three to five times lower risk than those of uncertified fisheries between 2005 and 2011. However, the number of the certified fisheries is not enough in the earlier period. Our study used more recent data between 2005 and 2018 and also integrated the MSC assessment scores to further investigate if the scores are appropriately set to preserve fish stock and control fishing rates. The obtained results generally supported the previous study by with larger variance due to larger sample size and longer period. Random forest regressions found that MSC assessment scores contribute to stock status and fishing rates, followed by species specific characteristics, and that the model predicts fishing rates more precisely than that doe s stock status.

Registration:

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Contact

Division of Natural Resource Economics
Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University

  • Chair: Koichi Kuriyama (Division of Natural Resource Economics, Kyoto University)
  • Organizers: Junichi Ito, Yohei Mitani, Ken Miura
  • Contact: Ken Miura/ [at] (replace [at] with @)