Director's Message
“The Pacific region encompasses both the world’s most dynamic economies and the broadest range of political approaches to governing markets and regulating civil society.”Gordon Hanson The countries of Asia and Latin America are undergoing profound change in their economies and political systems. While some governments in the region face environmental and social challenges associated with rapid economic growth, others are searching for strategies to jumpstart their economies and achieve broad-based improvements in living standards. The CPE is dedicated to addressing the challenges confronting Asia and Latin America through research, dialogue with public and private sector leaders in the region, and outreach to the broader community. |
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Now having completed its second year, the Center on Pacific Economies at the School of International Relations and Pacific Studies (IR/PS) continues to grow and prosper. The CPE welcomed six Pacific Leadership Fellows during 2007-08, who offered their perspectives on current economic and political developments in Asia and Latin America based on their substantial expertise as entrepreneurs, public servants, and scholars in the region. This year’s group addressed the evolution of the rule of law in China, democratization and civil society in Indonesia, the interplay between public policy and innovation in Korea, the negotiation of trade deals between Latin America and the United States, the design of effective regulations in advanced economies, and the role of the internet in government-media relations in Vietnam. Fellows interacted with the community through public lectures, focused workshops, one-on-one meetings, and informal dinners. Following their time in La Jolla, the CPE continues to engage each fellow, which helps establish a stronger presence for UC San Diego in the countries of the Pacific region.
In addition to the fellows program, the CPE continued to support conferences and research involving IR/PS faculty and students, targeting projects that apply rigorous academic analysis to pressing policy problems. CPE grants funded research on rural-to-urban migration in China, infrastructure and economic development in India, and the impact of cellular technology on village economies in poor countries, among other projects.
In the coming year, the CPE will welcome a new group of Pacific Leadership Fellows to campus and sponsor a series of research activities on how small businesses contribute to the economic progress of developing countries.
The CPE and the Pacific Leadership Fellows program were begun in 2006 with a gift from Joan and Irwin Jacobs. Their leadership gift is enabling IR/PS, UC San Diego, and the region to become increasingly recognized as a center for reflection and action by leaders from the Pacific.
