International Students Engage Actively in Lecture on "ASEAN+3 Economic Outlook"
On September 14, our international students from the 2024 and 2025 intakes attended a insightful lecture focusing on regional economic frontiers. Dr. Runchana Pongsaparn, Chief Economist of the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO), delivered a session titled "Macroeconomic and Financial Developments and Outlook in ASEAN+3." Using the latest data and case studies, she analyzed the opportunities and challenges facing the region within the global economic landscape. As the first academic lecture for the 2025 new students, this in-depth and practical sharing, marked by substantive content and lively interaction, successfully inaugurated their learning journey at the Institute.
Cutting-Edge Insights: Analyzing Regional Dynamics and Global Challenges
Dr. Pongsaparn delved into economic growth, financial risks, and long-term development potential within the ASEAN+3 region. She noted that while domestic demand remains the core driver, growth projections for 2025 have been downgraded, with a potential further slowdown in 2026, influenced by factors like adjustments in US tariff policies and global supply chain fluctuations. She highlighted common challenges, such as the fading "front-loading" effect of US imports and manufacturing PMI indices entering contraction territory.
Addressing risk management concerns raised by the students, Dr. Pongsaparn focused on core risks like US tariff policy uncertainty and the impact of geopolitical tensions on commodity prices. She provided actionable insights by citing relevant response cases from ASEAN+3 countries. Real-time data charts, including the "US Trade Policy Uncertainty Index" and "ASEAN+3 Export Growth Volatility," made abstract economic theories easier to grasp.
Lively Interaction: Focus on Regional Cooperation Extends Q&A
The highly interactive Q&A session became a highlight. Students from Zimbabwe, Egypt, Algeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and other countries actively raised questions based on their national contexts. Topics included coping with the impact of US tariff policies on exports, using regional investment coordination to hedge against global uncertainty, mitigating dollar dependency risks for small economies, economic impacts of geopolitical tensions, fossil fuel substitution and green economy trends, and policy support for digital economy development.
"The experience of China in developing clean energy and a green economy is directly relevant for us," remarked 2024 student Peter from Sierra Leone, a sentiment echoed by others. Dr. Pongsaparn elaborated on the stages and trends of green economic development and viable policy tools for countries at different development levels, using Chinese cases. 2025 student Mouffati from Algeria's Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Start-ups, and Micro-enterprises inquired about risks associated with US dollar dependence and lessons for other regions. Dr. Pongsaparn cited the doubling of two-way investment between China and ASEAN in recent years, emphasizing that deepening regional cooperation, strengthening regional financial safety nets, promoting local currency settlement and swaps, foreign reserve management, policy coordination, and developing regional local currency bond markets are key to hedging against dollar uncertainty. The planned 20-minute Q&A extended to 40 minutes, underscoring the relevance and practicality of the discussion.
A Significant Start: Bridging Academia and Practice
This first academic lecture for the 2025 intake held special significance, quickly immersing new students in the Institute's learning atmosphere that emphasizes linking theory with practice. They not only engaged with ASEAN+3 macroeconomic data but also actively contrasted these with their own countries' economic contexts, demonstrating a strong problem-oriented approach.
The International Education Center aims to help students build a "global perspective - regional reference - local application" framework from the outset. Dr. Pongsaparn's extensive experience at AMRO, the IMF, the Bank of Thailand, and other institutions, providing both a global outlook and a deep understanding of challenges facing developing economies, perfectly aligned with the students' needs.
This lecture not only conveyed cutting-edge regional economic dynamics but also ignited the students' enthusiasm for exploring solutions applicable to their local contexts. Moving forward, the International Education Center will continue inviting top global experts to provide a broad platform for academic exchange, empowering these students to become future pillars driving their national economic development.
