KUALA LUMPUR: An idea for funding high-skill training for workers and pairing them with employers became the winning proposal in the inaugural Tun Ismail Ali Challenge held on July 18 and 19.
Themed “Technology and New Growth Areas”, the event was organised by the Tun Ismail Ali Chair (TIAC), an organisation founded by Bank Negara Malaysia to enhance academic excellence in the area of monetary and financial economics.
According to a press statement, the finalists from various local and foreign universities proposed various policy solutions that would enable Malaysia to best benefit from the technological revolution underpinning the changes in economies worldwide.
“The Tun Ismail Ali Challenge was a two-day residential challenge that aimed to provide undergraduates with a platform to express their ideas and creativity in solving policy issues related to the macroeconomy and the financial sector.
“The challenge aspired to promote the build-up of a strong theoretical and practical foundation in the field of economics amongst the next generation of Malaysian economic graduates,” it said.
The winning proposal was mooted by “Pakatan Nasi Lemak”, a team comprising Aaron Luke (London School of Economics), Alya Athira Binti Mohamed Rafick Khan (London School of Economics) and Thevesh Thevananthan (University of Cambridge).
Second place went to the “Golden Bears”, which proposed to turn Malaysia into a renewable energy hub by tapping into the global demand for renewable energy.
Third place, “Scientia Conquisitor”, proposed policies to link SMEs and start-up companies.
The winners were awarded cash prizes of RM10,000, RM5,000 and RM3,000 respectively.