September 8, 2014

World-renowned economist visits UOW to speak to poverty in Asia

Poverty will remain prevalent in Asia beyond 2030, Asian Development Bank economist Dr Guanghua Wan said during a guest lecture at UOW on 2 September.

Dr Wan, Principal Economist and Head of the Poverty-Inequality Research Group at the ADB in Manila, said the Asia region will continue to face significant challenges in the poverty related issues and openly challenged a notion often upheld by Western commentators -- that Asia will become free of poverty in the 2020s.

Dr Wan, who is ranked among the top eight per cent of economists globally and the top four per cent in Asia, said that many have failed to consider significant challenges of rising food insecurity, inequality and vulnerability in Asia.

This could impact Australia significantly as our economy is closely linked to Asia’s continuing growth and development.

Dr Wan’s lecture, titled ‘Poverty in Asia: A Deeper Look’, was based on research recently published in an Asian Development Bank flagship report.

Associate Professor Ed Wilson of the Faculty of Business was excited about having the internationally renowned Asian development expert at the university.

“It is remarkable that he has been able to visit us. He is only in Australia for a couple of working days and has made the effort to come to UOW to meet with Drs Kankesu Jayanthakumaran and Reetu Verma of the economics discipline to discuss our joint research project,” he said.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery was in attendance to welcome Dr Wan as the distinguished speaker to the “town and gown” public lecture on poverty.

“This was especially fitting as Dr Wan has been a lifelong advocate of the disadvantaged and poor,” Professor Wilson said.

The large audience included academics from all the UOW faculties, doctoral and undergraduate students, alumni and members of the Wollongong community.