IRSA | Indonesia Regional Science Association

Jointly organized by :

Background

The period of severe economic turmoil experienced by Indonesian economy seems to be over. Economic growth, exports and all the indicators of macroeconomic stability had turned around by August-September 2002. For many, this optimism had attracted attention, orientation, and effort to bring back the good memory of “miraculous” sustained economic growth of the 1980s and 1990s.

Many argue, however, that current and future environmental setting has become much different with the onset of decentralization, i.e. transfer of decision making processes from the centre to the regions. In this decentralized era, it is believed that regional economic development will play a stronger role in the effort, not only to achieve rapid and sustained economic growth, but also to reshape it into more equitable economic growth that is pro-poor and poverty reducing. To this end, with decentralization, we need to understand more the the appropriate role of public sector, especially the role of regional and local government.

There are five fundamental roles of the government (World Development Report 1997) in the economy without which sustainable, shared, poverty-reducing development is impossible. Those are establishing a foundation of law, maintaining a non-distortionary policy environment, investing in basic social services and infrastructure, protecting the vulnerable, and protecting the environment. In regional economic development under the atmosphere of decentralization, the sharing of these responsibility among level of jurisdiction stills needs to be determined and discussed. However, it is expected that decentralization would lead to more effective functioning of these responsibility.

Many are aware, however, that rising regional income inequality, macroeconomic instability, and local capture are the risk we face with decentralization. These, in turn, may reduce the effectiveness of public services such as in providing education, health, infrastructure, safety nets, as well as protecting the environment. Those are fundamental services of public sector that could not be provided by private economic agents. In this areas, then public sector could assist and facilitate its private counterparts to achieve pro-poor economic growth, to gain more equitable and sustainable regional development.

The above problems need more understanding than what we currently have. This is unquestionably necessary to formulate the best strategy and policy for regional economic development in Indonesia that is now more decentralized, particularly, when we are aware that the role of public services, poverty, and the environment are of central importance and closely inter-related.

Objective

The conference is intended to be a media for scholars, practitioners, and policy-makers to discuss and exchange theoretical and empirical findings on the issue of regional development and decentralization with particular emphasis on public services, poverty, and the environment. It is also hoped that through this conference participants will exchange experiences and also build strong networks for future research, policy discussion, and practical collaboration.

It is expected that participants will contribute to the following regional perspective topics on (but not limited to)

• Economic growth and development

• Poverty and income inequality

• Health and education services

• Infrastructure development

• Management of water and sanitation

• Management of natural resources

• Regional and local environmental problem

• Governance and institution

• Financing aspects of regional development

Expected Participants

• Members of the Indonesian Regional Science Association (IRSA)

• Members of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI)

• Academician

• Government officials in Indonesia (Bappenas, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Finance, BPPT, and other central government entities)

• Regional government officials in Indonesia (Province/Kabupaten/Kota Bappeda, Dinas Offices, others)

• Non-Governmental Organizations

• Private sectors

• International donor communities (Usaid, AusAID, DFID, GTZ, JICA, others)

• Interested parties from other regional science and economics societies

Guest Speaker

• Bert Hofman (The World Bank)
• Lucky Sondakh (Sam Ratulangi University)
• Chris Manning (Australian National University) 
• Otto Soemarwoto (Padjadjaran University)

Event Location

Organizer & Secretariat

This conference is jointly organized by 

1) Indonesian Regional Science Association (IRSA)

2) Department of Economics and Development Studies, Faculty of Economics, Padjadjaran University

Organizing Commitee

Advisory Committee:

1) Prof. Dr. Bambang Bintoro Sudjito (President of IRSA)

2) Prof. Dr. Suripto Samid (Padjadjaran University)

3) Prof. Dr. Tommy Firman (Bandung Institute of Technology)

4) Prof. Dr. Sutyastie Soemitro (Padjadjaran University)

Organizing Committee :

1) Dr. Armida S. Alisjahbana (Padjadjaran University)

2) Dr. Bambang P.S. Brodjonegoro (University of Indonesia)

3) Dr. Budy P. Resosudarmo (Australian National University)

4) Dr. Nury Effendi (Padjadjaran University)

Coordinator Incharge :

Arief Anshory Yusuf (Padjadjaran University)

The 5th IRSA International Conference Secretariat :

Arief Anshory Yusuf
Department of Economics and Development Studies, Faculty of Economics, Padjadjaran University
Jalan Dipati Ukur 35, Bandung
Phone. +62(22)2509055/ +62(22)7202913 Fax. +62(22)7202865
E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Contact Organizer

Selected PapersAgenda