Call for Papers
4th Southeast Asia Economic Research and Development Conference (SAERD 2026)
Host/Strategic Partner: Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (ARDB), Cambodia — Akkak Pundit Sapheachar Aun Pornmoniroth Center (APM Center)
Co-organisers: Young Scholars Initiative (YSI), Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET), Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia (PUC) – Siem Reap Campus; Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI)
Date: 3-4 December 2026
Venue: PUC – Siem Reap Campus, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia
Format: Two-day conference + parallel two-day Master’s Thesis Development Workshop
About SAERD 2026
Southeast Asia is experiencing rapid and uneven socio-economic change shaped by structural transformation, widening inequality, demographic shifts, climate vulnerability, pressures on land and natural resources, and the uneven impacts of digitalisation on economic life and public service delivery. These dynamics raise urgent questions about emerging growth pathways, the distribution of risk across households, firms, and territories, and the institutional and fiscal capacities required for social protection, climate resilience, and inclusive development. In this context, the Southeast Asia Economic Research and Development Conference (SAERD) is designed to be both supportive and rigorous for young scholars from the region and around the world. We welcome early-stage work and fully developed papers, and we prioritise meaningful feedback through discussant-led sessions and moderated discussion. SAERD aims to strengthen Cambodia as one of the centres of regional research convening, where young and senior scholars can
Call for Papers
4th Southeast Asia Economic Research and Development Conference (SAERD 2026)
Host/Strategic Partner: Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (ARDB), Cambodia — Akkak Pundit Sapheachar Aun Pornmoniroth Center (APM Center)
Co-organisers: Young Scholars Initiative (YSI), Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET), Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia (PUC) – Siem Reap Campus; Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI)
Date: 3-4 December 2026
Venue: PUC – Siem Reap Campus, Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia
Format: Two-day conference + parallel two-day Master’s Thesis Development Workshop
About SAERD 2026
Southeast Asia is experiencing rapid and uneven socio-economic change shaped by structural transformation, widening inequality, demographic shifts, climate vulnerability, pressures on land and natural resources, and the uneven impacts of digitalisation on economic life and public service delivery. These dynamics raise urgent questions about emerging growth pathways, the distribution of risk across households, firms, and territories, and the institutional and fiscal capacities required for social protection, climate resilience, and inclusive development. In this context, the Southeast Asia Economic Research and Development Conference (SAERD) is designed to be both supportive and rigorous for young scholars from the region and around the world. We welcome early-stage work and fully developed papers, and we prioritise meaningful feedback through discussant-led sessions and moderated discussion. SAERD aims to strengthen Cambodia as one of the centres of regional research convening, where young and senior scholars can meet on equal intellectual ground, learn from disagreement, and build collegial and solidarity-based research networks.
Themes
Submissions may address (but are not limited to) the following themes:
- Economic growth, inequality, and inclusion
- Social protection, welfare systems, and human development
- Public finance, budgeting, expenditure quality, and fiscal sustainability
- Governance, institutions, accountability, and state capacity
- Monitoring & evaluation (M&E), performance management, and public sector reform
- Sustainability, ecology, natural resource governance, and climate resilience
- Climate finance, green budgeting, and just transitions
- Digital transformation, innovation, automation, and public services
- Food security, agrarian transformation, and rural livelihoods
- Urban and regional economics; infrastructure and spatial change
- Labour economics, gender, care, and welfare regimes
- Regional integration, trade, and global uncertainty
- History of economic thought, economic history, and path dependency
- Interdisciplinary and pluralist approaches in economic analysis
Conference format
The conference will feature plenary sessions with invited senior scholars and parallel paper sessions for young scholars. Papers will be selected through a peer review process. Parallel sessions will use a discussant model to ensure constructive and substantive feedback for presenters. In addition to research paper panels, keynote addresses and roundtables will be organised with senior scholars.
Parallel track: Master’s Thesis Development Workshop (10–12 participants)
SAERD 2026 will host a two-day Master’s Thesis Development Workshop in parallel with the main conference. The workshop is intended for Cambodian and regional Master’s students / early-career researchers and will focus on:
- research design and question formulation;
- conceptual framing and theoretical clarity;
- methods training (qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods);
- feasibility, ethics, and data strategies;
- structured mentoring and proposal-development sessions.
Participants will leave with a revised proposal (or chapter outline) and a clearer methods and data plan.
Participation, travel, and accommodation
Participation is free for authors of selected papers. A limited number of travel and accommodation support grants may be available for PhD students and early-career scholars (≤5 years post-PhD), subject to funding availability. Priority will be given to women researchers and researchers with disabilities. Please indicate your interest and eligibility in your application.
Important dates
- Abstract submission deadline: 15 July 2026
- Notification of acceptance: 4th week of July 2026
- Full paper (at least 6,000 words) deadline: 30 September 2026
- Conference dates: 3-4 December 2026
Submission guidelines
Please submit:
- Title and abstract (300–500 words)
- Author name(s), affiliation(s), and contact details
- 4–6 keywords
- Indicate whether you wish to be considered for travel/accommodation support (if eligible)
- Indicate if you would like to be considered for the Master’s Thesis Development Workshop (if applicable)
- Indicate if you want to be considered for the best paper award, which is conditional on the submission of between 6000-10,000 word working paper submission and publication with ARDB
Contact and updates
All communication regarding SAERD 2026 should be directed to: saerdconf@gmail.com
Updated information will be posted at: saerdconf.github.io
