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Economic Forum Conference

This economic dialogue held on 15-16 July 2021 achieved more than just political rhetoric.

In the era of digital revolution where the world is becoming smaller and many new technologies are being launched simultaneously, developing sustainable infrastructure that matches the speed of global developments such as climate change and the Covid19 pandemic, demands joint efforts from industry, public sector and academia. The bringing together of these people conspiring to make the world in which we live a better place for all is at the core of the vision for The Economic Forum.  Exploring the minimum necessary and sufficient conditions for the creation of sustainable built infrastructure is a fundamental agenda for societal good.

Please kindly note that the eBook of conference proceedings has been published and is now live (as eBook and paperback) here Creating-Sustainable-Built-Infrastructure.

While most developing economies may not have been growing and creating the much need jobs in the recent past, developing countries have a great, great future.  Growth theory helps us to explain the economic growth phenomenon as it relates to the built environment sector.  The contribution of the infrastructure sector’s products to capital formation is emphasized.  Therefore, we have at our disposal an intellectual framework that we will certainly employ going forward to continue unpacking much of the debate over public policy and favourable economic policies, aimed at making better use of the built environment sector and promoting long run economic growth that creates green jobs.

About the Economic Forum

The Forum conducts investigations and in-depth debates with leading academics, policymakers, and industry professionals, with a view to breaking down the world's toughest economic problems. 

The Economic Forum propagates the Wits University’s legacy of being actively engaged in supporting the next generation of academics, policymakers, and industry professionals through intensive research.  The research agenda is centred on all aspects of built infrastructure development in a variety of different countries and contexts.  The pivotal role played by the built infrastructure sector in economic growth is investigated in the context of appropriate tendering, contracting methods, ethics, governance, skills development, investment, and funding methods.

The Forum forges links with a range of organizations and emerging economies around the globe that help fund specific research programmes.  Funders benefit from dedicated research teams that provide economic analysis, policy guidance, and engagements on specific built infrastructure issues relating to emerging economies.  Consideration is given to the identification, development, and implementation challenges of the required policy and institutional structures that would eliminate barriers to the creation of built infrastructure in emerging economies.  The intellectual discourse of The Economic Forum is to understand the built infrastructure needs of emerging economies in the context of developmental goals and appropriate technologies.

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