Advisory Council Approves ADBI's 2010 Work Plan

Standing (left to right): Andrew MacIntyre, Eric Girardin, ADBI Dean Masahiro Kawai, Jong-Wha Lee. Sitting (left to right): Masahiko Aoki, ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda, Victor H. Frank, Jr. Members not pictured are K. M. Chandrasekhar and Gang Fan.

A meeting of the Advisory Council occurred in ADB headquarters at the end of October, where Advisory Council members discussed ADBI's Three-Year Rolling Work Program.

The Advisory Council is an important group of senior scholars and practitioners selected from the member countries of ADB on a broad geographic basis. Their advice and recommendations are critical to ensuring that ADBI's work products and chosen projects are of the highest standards and relevance. Twice a year, ADBI's strategic directions and work programs are reviewed and commented upon by the council members.

The term of office for the members is two years and they may be reappointed at the end of their terms. By statute, meetings alternate between ADBI's premises in Tokyo and ADB's Manila headquarters. Chairpersons for the councils are selected by the members from among themselves at each of their meetings. October's meeting was chaired by Andrew MacIntyre, dean of the Australian National University's College of Asia and the Pacific.

In his welcome remarks, ADB President Kuroda said that ADBI has evolved into a powerful and useful research institute within Asia, which is greatly appreciated by the ADB board.

The Advisory Council members in attendance endorsed ADBI's Research and Capacity Building and Training departments' proposed work programs. The main points of discussion centered around ideas for online dissemination of research work and enhancement of the ADBI brand.

The members also supported ADBI Dean Kawai's strategic directions for the coming period, and broadly agreed with the outcomes of the research flagship study on infrastructure and regional cooperation as well as the thrust of the global financial crisis project.

ADBI was commended for the consistent quality of its work output, a close alignment with ADB's strategic framework, and an internally high level of program coherence.

Read a more detailed summary of this event.