Applications are open for the 6th Asian Economic Development Conference (AEDC 2027), with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore inviting researchers and economists to submit original research papers.

The conference will bring together researchers and policy experts to examine major economic and development challenges facing Asia and the Pacific. Selected authors will have the opportunity to present their research in Singapore, while some papers may also be considered for publication in the Asian Development Review.

About the Asian Economic Development Conference

The Asian Economic Development Conference is a platform for presenting rigorous research on development economics and discussing evidence that can inform economic and public policy across Asia and the Pacific.

The 2027 edition will take place in person in Singapore from 1–2 July 2027.

The organizers are particularly interested in research that combines strong analytical approaches with clear relevance to development policy and the Asian context.

Research Areas

Submissions are welcome across a broad range of development economics topics, including:

• Agriculture and Rural Development: food security, agricultural productivity and market dynamics
• Health and Education: healthcare and education access, ageing populations, youth and demographic transitions
• Labour: skills development, future of work, job security, job quality and labour productivity
• Gender: income and opportunity gaps and gender empowerment
• Poverty, Inequality and Welfare: income gaps, income shocks, social protection, MSMEs, household dynamics and social development
• Climate Change and Environment: climate mitigation and adaptation, natural capital, sustainable development, net-zero transition, carbon pricing, energy transition and natural disasters
• Macroeconomics and Finance: economic growth, capital markets, sustainable finance, inflation, fiscal and monetary policy, and financial stability
• Regional Cooperation and Economic Integration: trade, migration, global value chains, financial integration, capital flows and cross-border investment
• Infrastructure: energy, transport, water, urban development and quality infrastructure
• Digital Economy, Data and Innovation: digital transformation, technology, entrepreneurship, digital currencies, data science and innovation
• Domestic Resource Mobilization and Governance: taxation, public finance, debt sustainability, public management and institutional quality
• Private Sector Development and Industrial Policy: firm dynamics, entrepreneurship, value chains and SME innovation
• Behavioural and Experimental Methods: randomized controlled trials, field and laboratory experiments, impact evaluations, behavioural insights and nudges
• Long-run Development and Economic History: economic institutions, industrialization and the historical foundations of development

What Type of Papers Are Invited?

The conference is seeking unpublished empirical analyses, survey articles, economic modelling studies and policy-oriented research.

Submitted papers should clearly present the research question, methodology and findings, where available, or explain the expected contribution to the field.

Research will be assessed based on factors including:

• Originality
• Analytical rigour
• Policy relevance
• Relevance to the Asian development context

Paper Submission Requirements

Authors are required to submit a complete paper accompanied by an abstract.

The first page of the manuscript should contain:

• Paper title
• Full names of all authors
• Author affiliations
• Email addresses
• Abstract
• Keywords
• Optional acknowledgements

The main text should begin on the second page, and the manuscript should be submitted in PDF format.

Papers may have been presented at academic conferences or posted as preprints, but manuscripts that have already been published in journals, books or conference proceedings carrying an ISBN or ISSN are not eligible.

Multiple papers may be submitted, although each paper must be submitted separately and will undergo an independent review.

Publication Opportunity

Authors of selected papers may be invited to submit their research for consideration in a Mini Symposium of the Asian Development Review (ADR).

Papers selected for the Mini Symposium may subsequently be considered for publication in the Asian Development Review, subject to the journal's normal review and publication procedures.

Authors remain free to submit their work elsewhere unless a selected publication requires exclusivity.

Important Dates

Paper submission deadline: 15 January 2027, 11:59 PM (UTC+8)

Decision notifications: March–April 2027

Registration period: March–April 2027

Conference programme circulated: May 2027

Conference: 1–2 July 2027, Singapore

The 15 January 2027 deadline provides researchers with an opportunity to prepare and submit substantial work addressing some of the region's most important economic, social, environmental and technological development challenges.