IRSA-SMI Institute Paper Awards on Sustainable and Inclusive Infrastructure to Support New
Government Priorities
Deadline: 16 March 2025
Eligible Topics
The special session/paper awards organized by the Indonesian Regional Science Association (IRSA) in collaboration with SMI Institute aims to encourage an insightful dialogue on advancing sustainable and inclusive infrastructure development in alignment with the new Indonesian government’s strategic priorities. Specifically, this session seeks to identify regional infrastructure projects that effectively support national priorities, innovative financing strategies to fund these developments in a sustainable and inclusive manner, and practical approaches to addressing challenges and maximizing opportunities within the government’s ambitious agenda. Relevant topics for the paper include, but are not limited to:
- Identifying key infrastructures at regional levels that align with new government programs.
- Innovative financing strategies for sustainable infrastructure development to support new government priorities.
- Unlocking opportunities and overcoming challenges in the new government’s infrastructure development agenda.
The Award
The selected papers will receive Rp. 3,000,000,- (three million rupiahs) per paper and an opportunity to present at the IRSA-SMI Institute special session on Sustainable and Inclusive Infrastructure to Support New Government Priorities.
Further, the authors will have the option to publish their works in the IRSA Book Series on Regional Development.
Context
The newly elected Indonesian government has expressed clear priorities aimed at strengthening national resilience and prosperity through strategic initiatives, including ensuring food security (ketahanan pangan), strengthening energy independence (ketahanan energi), fostering industrial downstream processes (hilirisasi), and providing access to free nutritional programs (makan bergizi gratis). Infrastructure development plays an important role in the achievement of these ambitious goals, as it provides the essential physical foundations required for sustainable progress. However, significant challenges persist, including limited fiscal space due to budget efficiency policy, regional disparities in infrastructure access, institutional coordination and regulation issues, as well as concerns relating to sustainability and inclusivity issues. Given these resource constraints and complex implementation challenges, it becomes essential to identify priority infrastructure projects clearly that can help to achieve new government priorities. Innovative thinking with regards to infrastructure development and new financing approaches are equally important. There is a necessity to “think outside the box”, utilizing
creative financial instruments and collaborative governance models that can enhance the effectiveness of infrastructure investments and address regional disparities sustainably. Moreover, unlocking opportunities and overcoming challenges within the new government’s infrastructure development agenda require targeted efforts. This involves recognizing potential areas for growth, proactively managing implementation barriers, and fostering strategic partnerships among various stakeholders to ensure that infrastructure development achieves meaningful and lasting impacts. The topics discussed in this session are particularly important to ensure the successful realization and sustainability of the new government’s priorities.
Addressing these issues proactively through academic research and informed policy dialogues will equip policymakers and stakeholders with actionable insights and strategies to overcome existing barriers.
How to Apply?
All papers related to the abovementioned topics submitted for presentation at the 20th IRSA International Conference will be considered for these IRSA-SMI Institute Paper Awards. Three papers will be selected as winners. The papers should be presented at the conference, and all the terms and conditions of the IRSA Conference will apply to all applicants, i.e., paying the registration fee.
Timelines
● Deadline for submitting an abstract: 16 March 2025
● Deadline for submitting the full paper: 8 June 2025
● Notification of Winners: 30 June 2025
Submission
Extended paper abstract of about 500 words should be submitted online via https://www.conftool.com/irsa2025/ by 16 March 2025. The abstract should include background, data and methodology, potential contributions, and keywords.
Abstracts must be submitted in English, as also the entire paper.