3rd annual international conference on "Risk, Rationality and Resilience" held in Nur-Sultan
The Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Public Policy (NU GSPP) held a conference on "Risk, Rationality and Resilience" at Nazarbayev University (NU). The Inaugural GSPP "Urban Water Management" Forum organized in cooperation with the meeting of the International Water Association (IWA) took place within the conference, the press service of Nazarbayev University informs.
More than 150 researchers, experts, civil service practitioners and participants from 20 countries, including Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, India, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Netherlands, Qatar, Romania, Spain, Ukraine and Uzbekistan participated in the conference.
"Give the Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) times we live in, it is very important to find ways to cope with risks and increase resilience. A relatively large body of research has shown that strategies to understand (and, subordinately) cope with risks and to increase resilience are a function of social contexts and cultural/attitudinal dispositions. And since in our VUCA world problems seem to be getting increasingly more complex and policy solutions increasingly more exposed to risk, clumsy solutions and different understanding of rationality could be useful ways to cope with risk and increase resilience. This is why the Third Annual GSPP Conference is devoted to this theme", Dean of the NU GSPP Weng Tat Hui said.
Vice – Provost for research of Nazarbayev University Charles Surya made welcoming speech where NU Research Strategy 2020-2025 and involvement of GSPP there were highlighted.
Advisor to the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Astana Civil Service Hub Maxut Uteshev noted that in today’s world, when crises are following one another at a high tempo, governance systems must strengthen their resilience, adaptability and risk management capacity through partnership and such joint activities.
"It is needless to say that the quality research is crucial to ensure reform’s success and sustainability. Moreover, the joint efforts of researchers and practitioners can contribute to more effective decision-making. Thus, the significance and timeliness of these discussions are apparent", he said.
Founding Dean of the College of Public Policy at Hamad bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar Leslie A. Pal and, Professor of Political Science at Jacobs University Bremen, Germany Marco Verweij attended event as the keynote speakers.
The conference included sessions on Good Governance, Economic Issues in Central Asia, AntiCorruption Measures and Perception of Corruption, Identity Policy in Kazakhstan, Public Service Reforms in the Region and Development Issues in Eurasia. The conference participants shared their research outcomes, knowledge and experience and expanded partnership networks.
"The Aral Sea Basin Water for Sustainable Development in Central Asia" book was launched during the conference.
Associate Professor form GSPP, Stefanos Xenarios, who performs as the Lead Editor in this publication outlined the major contents of the publication and the urgent need to perform sustainable water management in the Aral Sea Basin.
The International Conference on Public Policy and Administration has been arranged for the third time. This year, along with the main organizers, the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Astana Civil Service Hub and International Water Association supported the event.
