Dr. Suchat Katima, MI Director, attended the 1st Interdisciplinary Alumni Conference in Southeast Asia in Hanoi, Vietnam, as one of the keynote speakers. Entitled Regional Integration in Southeast Asia: Leadership Challenges and Network Building, the interdisciplinary dialogue forum was organized by InWEnt from 1-2 July, 2010 to improve the networking of Southeast Asian specialists and executives. 

Addressing an audience of more than 200 at the event, Dr. Suchat stated that regional social and economic integration has gone too far for the return of national state and independent economy. Although integration is positive for Asian economies as it speeds up their development, he cautioned the potential widening of the divide between rich and poor, and reiterated that such disparity must be mitigated by regional measures. 

In his speech, Dr. Suchat cited a number of demand- and supply-side factors that are shaping the GMS integration and interaction. He observed that GMS countries are complementing each other in term of markets, resources and competitive advantages, and governments in the region are showing strong political will to continue reforms and further open up the markets beyond the GMS. 

Dr. Suchat acknowledged that networking, diversity, and virtual team are vital to our true and lasting regional integration. The new generation must demonstrate abilities in both subject expertise and cross-cutting competencies, such as facilitation and innovation. He encouraged organizations in the GMS to embrace new approach to capacity building, and implant convergence of skills and competencies needed for a globally competitive workforce.