The KDI School hosted Campus Asia Second Joint Seminar with GRIPS on March 15 in Lincoln Hall. Participants were faculties, staff and students from KDI School and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) of Japan.

The seminar was opened by KDI School Associate Dean Jung, Kwon’s welcome speech, which was followed by a short introduction about KDI School, GRIPS and the Campus Asia program by current GRIPS students who studied MPP in KDI School in 2011.

During the event, a special lecture was given by the head of GRIPS delegation Professor Tomohiro Kinoshita on “Evolution in Monetary Policy.” Using his rich work experience from the Bank of Japan and GRIPS, Professor Kinoshita elaborated on the rapid evolution of monetary policy of central banks around the world and the driving forces behind this rapid evolution.

The afternoon hours were reserved for KDIS–GRIPS Ph.D. students presentation. Four Ph.D. students from the KDI School and GRIPS presented their separate academic works and answered questions from the audience.

The Globe had the opportunity to talk to Professor Kinoshita after closing of the seminar. In the brief interview, professor Kinoshita noted that 30 higher education institutions are now partners of the Campus Asia program and 300 students are benefiting from it.  He went on to say the program between KDI School, GRIPS and Tsinghua of China can be considered as “Northeast Asia consortium for policy studies.”

Referring to expansion of collaboration between these institutions as the main purpose of the seminar, professor Kinoshita candidly expressed his wish to go beyond students exchange program. He emphasized the importance of establishing and managing joint research projects, organizing teaching events, and exchanging professors.

By Kalekristos Zerisenay (2012 MDP, Eritrea)