IfNET/ WEF: The Blind Leading the Blind

Institute For New Economic Thinking & World Economic Forum To Collaborate On The Future Of Economics (2/22/13)

Collaboration to introduce the ideas and innovations of a new generation of economists

INET scholars to participate in the World Economic Forum's "Summer Davos" in Dalian, China in September

NEW YORK and DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET) and the World Economic Forum today announced plans for closer collaboration to foster new approaches to economic thinking.

Ahead of this year's World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, both organizations highlighted the need for innovative and sustainable solutions for persistent economic, social and political challenges. Their future collaboration will focus on engaging both a new generation of economic thinkers, as well as the most influential scholars from a variety of disciplines.

"The problems facing us today require a fundamental shift in economics and the participation of a global community from business, politics and academia," Dr. Robert Johnson, Executive Director of INET said. "We are therefore very excited to be collaborating with the World Economic Forum to accelerate the development of new economic thinking. The financial crises, environmental challenges and increasing inequality have revealed just how little we understand about the issues facing our world. Addressing these is key to creating a more resilient and dynamic world, and is core to many of the discussions in Davos this year."

"The state of the world remains such that we need to challenge fundamental economic assumptions and to embrace new thinking globally," said Lee Howell, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum responsible for their Annual Meeting in Davos. "INET is a leader in innovative ideas and research because of their commitment to stellar young scholars, who represent the future for the field of economics."

The World Economic Forum and INET will collaborate on introducing new economic ideas at the Forum's Annual Meeting of New Champions referred to as the "Summer Davos" in Dalian, China. "INET looks forward to working with the World Economic Forum in Dalian and bringing new visions, ideas and outstanding scholars into dialogue with the young people convening there," Dr. Johnson said. This collaboration will also provide opportunities for INET's Young Scholars to engage with the World Economic Forum's communities, such as the Young Global Leaders and Global Shapers – communities aimed at fostering interaction and exchange with the next generation of leaders.

Dr. Johnson also serves as vice-chair of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on New Economic Thinking and will contribute to a number of sessions at the Annual Meeting in Davos. He will moderate a dinner discussion featuring the world's leading economists. The session will focus on designing the economics textbook needed to guide society from the present day to the year 2030. Participants in this session include Nobel Laureate Professor Robert Engle of New York University, Professor Robert Shiller of Yale University, Professor Li Daokui of Tsinghua University, Dr. Adam Posen, President of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and INET Advisory Board Members Professor Barry Eichengreen and Professor Helen Rey.

About the Institute for New Economic Thinking

The Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET) is a global economic research and education foundation designed to broaden and accelerate the development of a new field of economic thought that will lead to real-world solutions to the great economic and social challenges of the 21st century.

www.ineteconomics.org

Media Contacts:
Eric J. Weiner, Institute for New Economic Thinking, + 1 212 493-3327, ejw@ineteconomics.org
Lucy Jay Kennedy, World Economic Forum, + 41 79 817 06 07, lucy.jaykennedy@weforum.org

SOURCE Institute For New Economic Thinking