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Outline of the Project

1) Background

In recent years, along with increasing globalization, Asia has been undergoing dramatic transformations, while intensifying regional integration and accelerating interdependence and cooperation among member countries. A new pattern of international division of labor has emerged involving various industries and countries in Asia, leading to a new dynamism in the region. However, in this new scenario, late developing countries, such as Cambodia and Laos, may lag further behind, finding it difficult to catch up with the rest of Asia and develop industries to be able to compete in the global economy. There is thus an important and urgent need to understand the impact of the rapid economic transformations on Asian late developing countries, and consider adequate human development strategies to supply skills required for accelerating industrial development and poverty reduction in these countries.

This project entails dual phases of research and action. The first comprises international joint research on the following three sub-themes.

  • R-1: The Impact of Globalization and Changing International Division of Labor on Asian Developing Countries;
  • R-2: Changes in Socio-economic Structures in Asian Late Developing Countries;
  • R-3: Skills Development for Sustainable Economic Development in Asian Late Developing Countries.

The second comprises contributing to human resource development in the region based on the research findings.

2) Duration and Financial Support

This research project will be initially implemented for three years from April 2008 to March 2011. This project is sponsored by the Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) under its Asia/Africa Science Platform Program. The project is expected to be further extended thereafter, with additional research grants and assistance from cooperating organizations.