Hendra Esmara Lectures
In collaboration with the Faculty of Economics and Business-Universitas Andalas and the Australian National University’s Indonesia Project, Indonesian Regional Science Association (IRSA) is conducting a biannual public lecture in Padang in honour of the late Professor Hendra Esmara for his pioneering work in the field of regional analysis in Indonesia.
About Professor Hendra Esmara.
The late Professor Hendra Esmara was a pioneer in the analysis of regional development patterns and inequality in Indonesia. In the early 1960s, he saw the need to pay more attention to regional disparities in Indonesia and in 1967 established the Institute for Regional Economic Research (Lembaga Penelitian Ekonomi Regional) at Universitas Andalas, the first institute that focused on regional development in Indonesia. Professor Esmara’s pioneering publication in 1971 in the Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies was among the first comprehensive papers on regional income disparities in Indonesia and marked the birth of regional analysis in the country.
In 1985, Hendra Esmara was appointed professor of regional planning at Universitas Andalas, the first professor at the university’s Faculty of Economics. He served in this position until his passing on 13 August 2000.
The 3rd Hendra Esmara Lecture on Regional Development.
The 3rd Hendra Esmara Lecture on regional development was delivered by Professor Arief Anshory Yusuf (Universitas Padjadjaran and Dewan Ekonomi Nasional), entitled “Seventy Years of the Kuznets Curve: Is Education a Facilitator of Structural Transformation or a Driver of Inequality?”
The second part of the seminar discussed extractive industries and regional inequality, with Professor Werry Darta Taifur (Universitas Andalas) and Professor Budy Resosudarmo (The Australian National University).
Padang, 1 July 2026
To see the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMTAVPcyGuM&t=1s
The 2nd Hendra Esmara Lecture on Regional Development.
The 2nd Hendra Esmara Lecture on regional development was delivered by Professor Iwan Jaya Azis (Cornell University and Universitas Indonesia), entitled “The Limitations of Economics and Regional Science.” The session was chaired by Dr. Endrizal Ridwan (Universitas Andalas) and featured a Q&A session.
The second part of the seminar discussed methods in economics and regional science, with speakers Professor Syafruddin Karimi (Universitas Andalas) on “Social Justice in Macroeconomic Schools of Thought” and Professor Budy Resosudarmo (The Australian National University), entitled “Introduction to Mixed Methods in Economics.” The session was chaired by Dr. Fijri Muharja and also featured a Q&A session.
Padang, 9 July 2024
To see the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc1ir6vHkaQ
The 1st Hendra Esmara Lecture on Regional Development.
Associate Professor Yuri Mansury (Illinois Institute of Technology, USA) delivered the inaugural Hendra Esmara Lecture, and Professor Syafruddin Karimi (Universitas Andalas) and Mia Amalia (BAPPENAS) were discussants.
Dr Efa Yonnedi (Dean, Faculty of Economics and Business Universitas Andalas) and Professor Arief Anshory Yusuf (President of IRSA) delivered the welcoming and keynote remarks. Professor Budy P. Resosudarmo (The Australian National University) introduced the Lecture series and Hendra Esmara’s contributions on the study of regional development in Indonesia. Lembaga Penelitian Ekonomi Regional (LPER) at Universitas Andalas was re-launched at the event.
Padang, 13 July 2022
To see the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfDB01CEMW8