"Automotive New Technology and Public Policy"

Hiroaki Miyoshi is director of Institute for Technology, Enterprise and Competitiveness, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan and professor at its Graduate School of Policy and Management. He worked at a major private sector think tank for 10 years, conducting research and making policy recommendations on a broad range of issue as a senior researcher and joined Doshisha University in 2003.His research interests include public economics and transport economics. His recent publications include "Technological
Innovation in the Automotive Industry and Economic Welfare" (co-edited with M.Tanashita); ‘Factors Associated with Safety of Passenger Cars’ (2008, IATSS Research).

Ibrahim Sirkeci, Regent’s College, European Business School London, UK

“Conflict and Cultures of Migration”

Ibrahim Sirkeci earned his PhD from the University of Sheffield in 2002. He is a Reader in Demography and teaches international marketing at Regent’s College, European Business School London since 2005. He has launched Institute of Contemporary European Studies in 2008. Previously, Ibrahim Sirkeci has worked at the University of Bristol Centre for the Study of Etnicity and Citizenship.He has been a visiting researcher to the University of Cologne, Germany in 1999. Ibrahim Sirkeci is the founding editor of Migration Letters journal as well as his editorial roles in Population Review and Direct Marketing journals. Dr. Sirkeci's five books and over 40 articles were published by Edwin Mellen Press, Pearson Education, Routledge, Blackwell, ABC-Clio and Lexington while he has also been a prominent contributor to over 40 conferences in Europe and USA.

Metin Toprak, Osmangazi University, Turkey

“Immiserising Human Resources Policy and Poverty Reduction Strategies in Turkey”

Metin Toprak is professor of political economics at Eskişehir Osmangazi University in Turkey. Toprak. He earned his BA, MA and PhD degrees from Istanbul University. He has been to the Prime Ministry of Turkey as Field Research Expert, faculty at Kırıkkale University, vice president at Turkish Banking Authority, and visiting professor at Georgetown University. Prof.Toprak has wide variety of publications from economics to politics. He has conducted projects on behalf of the World Bank, European Commission, the Turkish Treasury, many chambers of commerce, NGOs, political parties and the Turkish Government.

Naved Ahmed, Chairman, Department of Economics and Finance, the

Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Pakistan

"Globalization and Economic Growth: Evidence from South and East Asian Economies"

Dr. Naved Ahmad is Chairman of Department of Economics and Finance at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi. His areas of research interest include Convergence Theory and Corruption. His papers have been published in the Journal of Economic Policy Reform, International Journal of Economic Perspectives, Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Economic and Social Review, Pakistan Business Review. He has  taught several advanced courses at Applied Economics Research Centre (AERC), Karachi. Dr. Ahmad holds  Ph.D. from Northeastern University, Boston, USA.

Ömer Çaha, Department of Public Administration, Fatih University, Turkey

"The Mobilization Strategies and Election Campaigns of Political Parties in Turkey"

Ömer Çaha graduated from Department of Sociology of the Middle East Technical University. He received his M.A. and Ph.D (Political Sciences)  from the Bilkent University.  He is currently the dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and he is teaching in the Department of Public Administration and Political Science, Fatih University, İstanbul, Turkey. He is the author of the following books and many articles on such issues as religion and politics, democratization, political behavior, Islam and politics, civil society, women movement, Turkish politics etc. both in English and in Turkish.

“Are We Roving Against the Current? The Issue of Regional Subsidies"

Servet Mutlu received his Ph. D. from the University of California at Berkeley.  He worked at the State Planning Organization and National Productivity Centre and served as the vice president of the GAP Administration. He was a visiting scholar at MIT and at the Institute of Developing Economies in Japan. He taught at Yarmouk University in Jordan. He served as the chairman of the Economics Department of Başkent University from 1998 to 2007. Dr. Mutlu has published articles in Turkish and international journals on economic development, regional development spatial organization and population issues, and has a book: “The Roots of the Eastern Question: From an Economic Perspective.”