The International Conference on Building Connectivity: Strategies for EU-Asia Relations hosted by the SPEAC (Strategies for Promoting EU-Asia Connectivity) Research Team took place in Brussels on 19-20th June, 2022. The SPEAC Research Team was established through the Jean Monnet Network Project of the ERASMUS+ Programme supported by the European Union.
The very idea of the project was provided by the EU’s EU-Asia Connectivity initiative launched in September 2018, and universities and institutions from Europe and Asia were involved to delve into important issues related to Europe-Asia relations. Partner organisations were Korea University (Seoul, Republic of Korea), Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), EU Center in Singapore, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Germany), Uppsala University (Sweden) and Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (Lublin, Poland). Prof. Paweł Pasierbiak and prof. Tomasz Białowąs from the Department of World Economy and European Integration at the Faculty of Economics, UMCS were members of SPEAC Research Team for over 2 years. Prof. Wiesław Gruszecki, Vice-Rector for Science and International Cooperation and prof. Mariusz Kicia, Dean of the Faculty of Economics were invited to join the research programme closing conference in Brussels.
The conference was the great opportunity to present the outcomes of SPEAC research activities and have discussion with guest scholars and policymakers invited from Europe and Asia. It started with opening speeches by prof. Sunghoon Park (Korea University), H.E. Soongu Yoon - Korean Ambassador to Belgium and the EU, Dr. Heungchong Kim (President, KIEP) and Dr. Gunnar Wiegand (Managing Director of ASIAPAC, EEAS), followed by presentations and discussions by participants from Republic of Korea, Sweden, Malaysia, Germany, UK and Poland. Prof. Paweł Pasierbiak and prof. Tomasz Białowąs presented their paper on “Trade and Investment Policies in Europe-Asia Connectivity”. The conference is expected to help include insights into the final output of the research done. It also proves valuable channel to integrate theoretical discourses with practical and policy-relevant implications. Moreover, new initiatives of cooperation between the Faculty of Economics or UMCS in general, and international academic and institutional partners were discussed during informal meetings.
