News & Announcements

Agricultural Trade Policy in Indonesia and Its Impact on Indonesian Economy

04/28/2025/in Events, Frontpage Article, IM News, IUJ Research Institute, News /by Office of Academic Affairs

We were delighted to welcome Prof. Dr. Amzul Rifin—an IUJ (IDP 2005) graduate, currently working at the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo and a Professor in the Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Economics and Management, IPB University, Indonesia—as a guest speaker at the IRI Special Seminar, where he delivered a talk on the theme ‘Agricultural Trade Policy in Indonesia and Its Impact on the Indonesian Economy’.

He focused on the export tax imposed on palm oil and cocoa beans. While these plantation products are key export commodities for Indonesia, they are often exported in raw form with lower value. The policy aims to promote downstream processing and increase domestic value addition. The talk examined how the export tax has influenced export patterns, reduced export competitiveness, and affected farmers’ incomes, particularly by comparing the impacts on palm oil and cocoa. The seminar concluded with policy recommendations to mitigate the negative effects of the export tax and support sustainable agricultural development.

After the Special Seminar, we held a social gathering where participants enjoyed conversations with Dr. Amzul and other participants while savoring Indonesian cuisine. We appreciate the warm hospitality of our Indonesian students and thank everyone who attended!

===
Office of Research Institute
ori@iuj.ac.jp
===

IUJ Research Pitch Competition 2025: A Night of Ideas, Energy, and Legacy

04/23/2025/in Events, Frontpage Article, IM News, IUJ Research Institute, News /by Office of Academic Affairs

On Friday, April 11th, the campus came alive with energy, excitement, and fresh ideas as 11 students took the stage for the Research Pitch Competition 2025. Proudly supported by the IUJ Research Institute and the International Relations and International Management Student Councils, the event followed the popular “3 Minute Thesis” format: one slide, three minutes, and one chance to impress the judges — and the crowd.

This year’s event built on the success of the 2024 launch, where students, staff, and faculty created a fun atmosphere. It was no different this year — the room was full, and the table-banging energy was back in full force. The audience took a moment to honor 2024’s inaugural champion, Abdisalam from Kenya, whose welcome message reminded everyone of the growing legacy of this event. With the crowd hyped, the presenters delivered rapid-fire pitches on diverse, high-impact research topics.

The judging panel featured Professor Jung (GSIR), Professor Sheehan (GSIM), and Pramo, the 2024 valedictorian and one of the founding forces behind the competition. Together, they had the difficult task of selecting the winners from a night full of standout performances. After much deliberation, the judges announced this year’s champions:

First Place: Ilaisaaneliki Fonua (GSIM)

Second Place: Atlas Leyton (GSIM)

Third Place: Dilrukshi (PMPP)

When asked to comment on the event, Professor Sheehan said: “IUJ may be small, but that is also our strength. We attract students with global perspectives, real-world experience, and access to data and stories that big universities sometimes miss. Events like this help us celebrate what makes our community special — clarity, curiosity, and courage. We want to build a purposeful and enduring culture of research excellence here, and this competition is part of that.”

Congratulations to the winners and all the presenters for their creative and meaningful research. They entertained, inspired and helped build a tradition. The IUJ Research Pitch Competition is now firmly on the calendar, and we cannot wait to see who takes the spotlight in 2026. A big thanks to everyone who supported the event, especially the student councils and the IUJ Research Institute. Let’s keep the legacy growing.

===

Office of Research Institute
ori@iuj.ac.jp
===

Environmental Degradation and Economic Growth: Do Emerging Economies Follow the Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis? by Prof. Chow and Mr. Mukesh Dangol

04/17/2025/in Events, IM News, IUJ Research Institute, News /by Office of Academic Affairs

We were delighted to have Prof. Chow and Mr. Mukesh Dangol — her co-researcher and a 2022 graduate of our university — as guest speakers at this month’s lunch seminar, where they delivered talks on the theme “Environmental Degradation and Economic Growth: Do Emerging Economies Follow the Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis?”

The seminar addressed how the development pathways of emerging economies can significantly influence the global environment. The speakers tested the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis by applying a panel quantile regression analysis. Their results validated the existence of the EKC: while per capita energy consumption showed a consistently positive impact on per capita CO₂ emissions across all quantiles — with increasing influence in higher quantiles — both trade openness and urbanization were found to reduce emissions.

The use of quantile regression enabled a more nuanced understanding of emission patterns across countries, offering valuable insight for designing effective, targeted environmental policies.