Conference Programming

Tracks

Students will be placed into a Track of their interest upon acceptance to the HGEM Innovation Challenge. Each Track comes with a prompt, written below, and expanded upon in a background guide. The background guide will be distributed to delegates after registration. Students will be teamed up to discuss the nuances of each Track topic and eventually create an innovative solution addressing the prompt corresponding to their Track. HIC SEA III Schedule.

Track 1: Well-being & Equity

Southeast Asia is a region of enormous social, economic, and political diversity, both across and within countries, shaped by its history and geography. These factors, however, have contributed to the disparate health status of the region’s diverse populations. Rapid but inequitable socioeconomic development, coupled with differing rates of demographic and epidemiological transitions, have accentuated health disparities and posed great public health challenges for national health systems. Now, more than ever, innovation and collaboration are required to enable Southeast Asians to dismantle inequity, to use their power in experiences that support health living, and to allow communities to thrive and realize their fullest well-being.

The Well-being and Equity track will focus on developing fair and just opportunities for those in the region to lead the healthiest lives possible. On an individual level, delegates will reflect on what they need to maximize their well-being, be it physical, spiritual, or mental well-being– incorporating not only different types of resources and support systems, but also analyzing the accessibility of these. On a collective level, delegates will work communally to look at what structures are needed to maximize the well-being of communities or groups of people, delving deeper into institutions that are in place to allow for the (dis)advancement of peoples. The track urges students to not only innovate for short-term solutions to inequities, but also demand for long-term and permanent support. By measuring well-being among individuals and communities, we can expand the definition of health beyond health care or absence of disease, looking at how people are thriving in every aspect of life. Well-being includes people's physical, mental, and social health, and the opportunities they have to create meaningful futures. It considers basic needs like food, housing, education, employment, and income. It includes social and emotional needs like sense of purpose, safely, belonging and social connection, and life satisfaction. And it is tightly linked with the well-being of our communities, our environment and our planet.

Track 2: Urbanization & Industrialization

Southeast Asia is going through rapid urbanization and industrialization today. By 2030, its urban population will grow by another 100 million people, rising from 280 million people today to 373 million people. Urbanization and industrialization in Southeast Asia is rapidly growing, but the real question arises: Are they helping propel economic growth and development in the region? While some areas of Southeast Asia are urbanized and developed, others have yet to make this transformation. The question is whether urbanization and industrialization can continue to propel economic development in the region’s less developed cities and nations, or whether some will fall victim to urbanization without growth. 

The Urbanization and Industrialization track will focus on innovative and sustainable approaches to infrastructure and industrial development. Industrialization is the driver of growth and development. It creates employment opportunities for young people, men, and women and assists in fostering skills and innovation. It creates opportunities for improvement and builds resources that add values to other areas like income generation, poverty alleviation, empowering women, creating opportunities for youth, and contributes to broader, inclusive and sustainable development. Sustainable economic growth relies on sustainable industrial growth and infrastructure development. In this track, the delegates will explore innovative ways of incorporating sustainable development to promote a range of social and economic objectives like employment creation, poverty eradication, gender equality, labour standards, and greater access to education and health care. Some questions we will ponder are: How did Southeast Asia industrialize? Was this industrialization sustainable? Did the countries' financial systems help industrialization? How do we build resilient infrastructure that will lead to a higher quality of life for the general public while maintaining sustainable industrial growth and innovation? How do we create harmony between industrial accomplishments and sustainable and inclusive communities?