TOASEAN Summer School 2026

Since the 1990s, Southeast Asia has undergone profound economic and social transformations, establishing itself as the world's fourth-largest economic region and a major export hub, while dramatically reducing poverty rates. This transformation has not followed a single path; instead, it reflects the diversity of national strategies, political models, sectoral specializations and modes of integration into the global economy.

The TOASEAN Summer School approaches this complexity from an interdisciplinary perspective, combining political economy, economic geography, labor studies and anthropology. It begins by mapping and comparing different development trajectories across the region, highlighting how countries have integrated into global markets through distinct institutional and policy frameworks.

This program examines how urbanization and infrastructure development have accelerated economic integration in Southeast Asia, notably through the rise of metropolitan regions and connectivity corridors. These processes are closely linked to the expansion of regional production networks and global value chains. It also analyzes state-led development models, focusing on public investment strategies and the changing role of state-owned enterprises in countries such as Vietnam and Singapore.

Finally, the program focuses on the workforce, seen as a central but highly fragmented factor, and examines labor market transformations, migration flows and the social consequences of rapid industrialization.

In addition, the TOASEAN Summer School will include a special day devoted to the Asian Development Bank, headquartered in Manila. During this session, participants will learn about the Bank's mission and core activities, including its role in promoting sustainable economic growth, reducing poverty and supporting regional integration in Asia and the Pacific. Particular attention will be paid to its priority sectors - such as infrastructure, energy transition, climate resilience, digital development and social services - as well as to the financial instruments it uses. The session will also highlight the opportunities the Bank offers to international players, including Italian companies, in areas such as project financing, public procurement, public-private partnerships and technical cooperation initiatives.

The summer school brings together researchers from leading European and international research institutes, offering participants the chance to familiarize themselves with a variety of methodological approaches - from quantitative economic analysis to ethnographic fieldwork - in a highly interactive academic environment.