University Students Emulate IMF’s Economic Surveillance at Workshop in Kyushu
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Media Inquiries
International Monetary Fund
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Press Officer: Yuko Maeda
Tel: 81-(0)3-3597-6719
Email: oapmedia@imf.org
Event overview
- The workshop was held on 7-8 March as a two-day overnight event in Fukuoka.
- The announcement is dated March 8, 2019.
- The workshop was organized by the IMF Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (OAP) as part of the Macroeconomist Training Program (MTP).
- The workshop was the 6th edition of the Macroeconomist Training Program under OAP’s Initiative for Macroeconomists of the Future.
- The workshop was organized in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
- This was the first MTP held in Fukuoka, the first of the series to be held in Kyushu, and only the second MTP held outside of Tokyo.
Participants and instructors
- Twenty-three students participated: 19 Japanese and four foreigners.
- Participants were drawn from undergraduate and graduate programs.
- OAP Director Chikahisa Sumi delivered the opening speech.
- OAP Economist Takuya Kamoshida provided an introductory presentation.
- Dr. Shogo Ishii, former Director of OAP and IMF consultant, delivered lectures on IMF macroeconomic analysis and surveillance and shared personal mission experiences.
Training content and exercises
- Lectures covered the role of the IMF and part of its core work: the economic surveillance of member countries.
- Instruction included methods and tools of IMF surveillance and an overview of how the IMF analyzes macroeconomic issues.
- Practical group exercise:
- Students were grouped into four teams.
- Each team analyzed the economy of Lao PDR.
- Using IMF surveillance tools, teams were tasked to:
- Identify potential risks to the baseline scenario.
- Formulate policy recommendations.
- Assess an alternative scenario.
- Teams worked intensively, with many groups staying up late to develop their analyses.
- On the second day, all participants presented their analyses and engaged in peer exchanges of views and comments.
Outcomes and program trajectory
- The Initiative for Macroeconomists of the Future was launched in summer 2017 to reach wider audiences, particularly youth, raise awareness of the IMF’s work, and foster future economists.
- The initiative is organized regularly and has already welcomed more than a hundred participants.
- The next edition is expected to be held in summer 2019.
Content in this bundle
- 6th Macroeconomist Training Program, Fukuoka, Japan, March 7-8 2019
- Flyer for the Macroeconomist Training Program, March 7-8 2019, Fukuoka