The East Asia Forum in conjunction with the Australia National University (ANU) hosted 12 of the top emerging scholars on topics related to East Asia on 12-14 July 2010. The scholars were selected based on an 800-word op-ed style pieces on the topic of Asia’s economic and political challenges and how to deal with them. The finalists were chosen from an overwhelming number of submissions, coming from diverse cultural and academic backgrounds representing a number of universities around the world from Yale to Quaid-e-Azam (see full list of finalists below).

ANU Vice Chancellor, Professor Ian Chubb, welcomes the Emerging Scholars and opens the Roundtable discussion (Photo: Darren Boyd, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific)

The Roundtable brought the 12 finalists to ANU, to have an open forum discussion about their article topics and the general issues facing the region in the coming years. The discourse was supported by many of the University’s top academics including Professors Michael L’Estrange, Hugh White and Kent Anderson along with nominated PhD candidates from several of ANU’s schools and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) officials. During their time in Canberra the Emerging Scholars also had the opportunity to engage in a lively roundtable with senior DFAT analysts, which was kindly supported by the Secretary of DFAT, Mr Dennis Richardson; and a private meeting with the Chancellor, Professor Gareth Evans. The output of the Conference was a special publication of the East Asia Forum Quarterly titled Next generation on Asia.

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Secretary, Mr Dennis Richardson, present a plaque to the author of the winning Emerging Scholars article Geoffrey See (Photo: Darren Boyd, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific)

ANU Chancellor, Professor Gareth Evans, addresses the Emerging Scholars in a private meeting (Photo: Darren Boyd, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific)

The finalists were:

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