Monmouth University Inc.

06/12/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/12/2025 12:23

LHBS Hosts Inaugural Workshop on Sustainable Economic Development Around the Globe

Monmouth University and the McMullen Family hosted the inaugural "Regional Sustainable Economic Development Around the Globe" workshop on June 6. The virtual event was co-organized with the Joint Research Center of the European Commission, TH Köln, and the Center for Economic Development and Social Change.

The workshop convened academics and policymakers from five continents to examine climate change and the role of sustainable economic development. Participants from the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, European Commission, and International Labour Organization joined faculty from institutions in the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, Italy, Poland, Germany, Morocco, New Zealand, Vietnam, India, and China. Together, they exchanged best practices on topics such as flood risk and small business lending in Italy, evaluating the socioeconomic impacts of infrastructure in Malawi, and the relationship among innovation, human capital, and digitalization in industrialized nations. The program featured 18 research presentations.

Avik Sinha, DPM, of Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, delivered the keynote address on challenges related to electric vehicle battery recycling in China. His remarks drew from his co-authored paper, "China Needs to Deal With Discarded Electric-Vehicle Batteries," published in the May 2025 issue of Nature. Caterina Rho, Ph.D., an economist and policy analyst at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, presented research from her working paper, "Flooded Credit Markets: Physical Climate Risk and Small Business Lending," which describes how flooding affects small business lending in Italy.

Monmouth University President Patrick F. Leahyemphasized the value of global knowledge exchange and noted that sustainable development includes both environmental and economic dimensions. He underscored the critical role of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. "This international event with esteemed global institutions and peers elevates the visibility of both Monmouth University and the McMullen Family on national and international stages," he said.

Raj Devasagayam, Ph.D., dean of the Leon Hess Business School, described the workshop as "a tremendous event and a shining example of the scholarship that brings positive attention to the societal impact of the Leon Hess Business School."

Monmouth faculty members Peter Jacques, Ph.D., Rechnitz Family/UCI Endowed Chair in Marine and Environmental Law and Policy, and Jaishree Sharma, Ph.D., instructor in the Department of Economics, Finance, and Real Estate, presented research in two different breakout sessions. Sharma discussed her paper, "Impact of Innovation, Human Capital, and Digitalization on Sustainable Growth in Top Five Economies of the World: A Panel Data Approach." Jacques presented "Regional Sustainable Economic Development in the Caribbean," co-authored with Audrey Copeland, a political science student at Monmouth.

Jessica Serluco, an undergraduate student in the Leon Hess Business School, said of the keynote speaker, "Dr. Sinha was very knowledgeable, and I learned a lot about the recycling challenges caused by the rapid disposal of outdated vehicles and technologies."

Organizers invited participants to submit their papers for peer-reviewed publication. Submissions may be considered for a special issue of International Economics and Economic Policy (IEEP), guest-edited by Tjeerd Boonman, Ph.D., McMullen Family Professor in Economics at Monmouth; Andrea Gatto, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics at Wenzhou-Kean University in China; and Harald Sander, Ph.D., professor of international economics at TH Köln Institute of Global Business and Society. Papers may also be considered for inclusion in a forthcoming volume, "The Future of the Urban Economy: Sustainable Development, Ecological Regeneration, and Decoupling from Carbon-Intensive Activities" (Routledge).

Boonman, one of the principle organizers of the event, acknowledged support from the McMullen Family, the Office of the Provost, the Leon Hess Business School, the Urban Coast Institute, and webmaster Steven Graboski.

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