Regional Summit: Social Science Funding and Collaboration in the Indo-Pacific
Registrations have now CLOSED for the Social Science Funding and Collaboration in the Indo-Pacific Regional Summit from 9-10 May 2024 at the Eastin Grand Hotel Phayathai, Bangkok Thailand.
Regional Summit for Social Science Funding and Collaboration in the Indo-Pacific
The meeting is co-hosted by AASSREC and the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) and will focus on three key themes:
1. Identifying opportunities for bilateral and multilateral collaboration and funding calls, including discussion of innovation in program design, and shared research assessment, funding and impact evaluation challenges.
2. Discussing opportunities to leverage social science research funding and expertise to achieve better outcomes through policy engagement and research translation.
3. Determining priorities for AASSREC’s new Indo-Pacific social science funding program.
This meeting is being convened by AASSREC through its ‘Boosting Social Sciences and their Contribution to Better Lives across the Indo-Pacific’ program, in partnership UNESCO and the Global Development Network (GDN), and supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The meeting will feature keynote speakers, workshop and panel sessions, a networking dinner, and opportunities for participants to share their own experiences and practices with stakeholder organisations across the region. Over 80 representatives from over 20 countries are expected to attend.
Why is this summit being called?
The Indo-Pacific is home to 60% of the world’s population and a growing percentage of global economic activity. It has the greatest linguistic, political, and religious diversity on Earth; two-thirds of the world’s Indigenous peoples, and it faces significant social challenges relating to climate change, security, migration, health, rights and equality.
With rapidly developing regional economies and increasing integration into global knowledge networks, the Indo-Pacific has seen a significant growth over the past two decades in R&D activity. Thousands of new and expanded research centres and institutions have been developed or re-formed around national priorities, and tens of thousands of new publication outlets have been created for sharing of scholarly work. However, development of social science research systems has been marginal in this process and has lacked uniformity and coordination across the region.
This regional summit will bring together key social science stakeholders–researchers, research funders, research councils and policy makers–for a future-focused discussion about promoting collaboration, increasing investment and targeting resources to boost social science research capacity and enhance research impact.
Who should attend?
• Senior representatives of general and social science research funding bodies with a focus or interest in the Indo-Pacific region
• Senior executives of regional research organisations (universities, private-sector agencies, public policy think-tanks, regional development organisations and other non-profits)
• Senior representatives of general and social science academies and councils
• Policy makers with an interest in accessing and optimising evidence to inform public policy.
Program Overview
Each day will feature an array of international speakers and provide opportunities for small group discussion and networking.
Invitations to attend
Note that this summit is by nvitation only, with identified organisations invited to nominate up to three representatives to attend. AASSREC also welcomes suggestions for other invitees with an interest in social science research funding in the Indo-Pacific region. To discuss potential additional invitations, please contact info@aassrec.org.
Visa support and bursaries
AASSREC and NRCT will assist with invitation letters for visa purposes for any registered attendee. While there is no cost to attend the summit or the networking dinner, invited delegates are requested to make their own arrangements for travel and accommodation. AASSREC has a limited number of bursaries (flights, accommodation, and airport transfers) available to enable the participation of delegates who require financial support. Priority for bursaries will be given to representatives of organisations in low-income countries. Individuals seeking a bursary to support attendance should complete the respective section of the online registration form by 22 March 2024.
Accommodation
The Regional Summit will be held in Siam Hall at the Eastin Grand Hotel Phayathai, Bangkok, Thailand. The Eastin Grand Hotel Phayathai will provide a special accommodation rate, subject to availability, for registered attendees who book accommodation on or before 15 April 2024 (THB 4900 per night for single occupancy for a Superior Panorama room and THB 5100 per night for double occupancy). A link to access the discounted rate will be provided to registered attendees. Accommodation can also be booked directly via the Eastin Grand Hotel Phayathai website. Attendees are also welcome to book accommodation at another hotel in Bangkok.
Registration
Thanks to generous funding from the IDRC, registration for this event is free of charge. Complimentary registration includes all catering for attendees and an invitation to a networking dinner on Thursday 9 May 2024. However, please be aware that attendees are responsible for covering their own travel and accommodation expenses.
Limited bursaries are available to selected attendees to assist with travel and accommodation costs.
Delegate registrations from invited organisations must be received by 18 April 2024.
Individuals seeking a bursary to support attendance must register and apply by 22 March 2024.
Contact
For further information about the Regional Summit please contact the AASSREC Secretariat via email: info@aassrec.org or phone: +61 2 6249 1788.