Call for Papers: ADB-IEA Innovative Policy Research Award 2025

The ADB-IEA Innovative Policy Research Award aims to promote the application of innovative empirical research in economics to support evidence-based policies in addressing key development challenges in Asia and the Pacific.

There is no restriction on topics or themes. ADB’s current operational priorities include (i) tackling climate change as the region is currently producing a half of the global greenhouse gas emission, (ii) addressing inequality due to digital divide following rapid digitalization in many countries in the region, (iii) enhancing regional cooperation to facilitate faster recovery of trade and investment in the region, and (iv) increasing fiscal and economic resilience post pandemic. Impact evaluations are particularly encouraged.

Award

The author of the award-winning paper will receive a $7,000 grant financed by ADB. If the winning paper has co-authors, the award will be shared equally among co-authors.

The top three papers will be presented at the ADB-IEA Award session of the 2025 ADB Annual Meeting. ADB intends to apply the ideas generated by the award-winning paper to its operations and policy advice.

Eligibility

Submissions should meet the following eligibility criteria:

• The paper must be an original research work in economics that provides evidence for better solutions/policies to address a key development challenge in Asia and the Pacific;
• The paper has not been published or is under consideration by peer-reviewed journals;
• Researcher is willing to work with policymakers in an ADB developing member to test and develop the research into policy solutions;
• Researchers from any country may apply, but the policy solutions must be relevant for an ADB developing member country; and
• We especially encourage young and female scholars and researchers from universities, think-tanks, and academic institutions to apply.

Selection criteria

• Relevance of the problem to current regional issues/challenges (25%)
• Quality of methodology and analysis (25%)
• Structure and presentation (25%)
• Operational applicability (25%)

Selection committee

• Ramesh Subramaniam, Director General and Group Chief, Sectors Group, Asian Development Bank
• Sona Shrestha, Deputy Director General, Independent Evaluation Department, ADB
• Natalia Romondo, Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Boston University
• Barbara Rossi, Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Pompeu Fabra University and Barcelona School of Economics
• Ehtisham Ahmad, Former Professor at the Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Zhejiang University

Submission due date

Submissions are due no later than 31 December 2024. We anticipate completing selection of the award-winning paper by the end of February 2025. The winning paper will be announced around early May 2025.

Submission process

Submissions should include the full paper, including the title, abstract of 100 words or less, JEL codes, and full names of authors. Submit a paper now.