Ένωση των Οικονομικών Πανεπιστημίων της Νότιας και Ανατολικής Ευρώπης και της Παρευξείνιας Ζώνης

Current challenges of the global economy

Opening address by Prof. Dumitru Matis, Member of ASECU Board of Governors, representing ASECU at the 2nd ASECU-Youth Conference, in Iasi Romania
Current challenges of the global economy
July 12-14 2012, "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University, Iasi, Romania

Iasi, 12.7.2012

Honorable Rector of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi,
Professor Vasile Işan,
Honorable Dean of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Professor Dinu Airinei
Distinguished guests,
Beloved students,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all on behalf of the Association of Economic Universities of South and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region Management Committee on this lovely summer day. This 7th month of the year according to the Gregorian calendar used to be the 5th in the early calendar of the ancient Romans, calling it Quintilius. It was a Roman Senate that renamed the month to Julius (July) in honor of Julius Caesar, who was born on July 12 or 13, in the year 100 B.C. On such a special day, I am delighted to address ASECU’s kind thoughts and support for the 2nd Youth Conference, Current challenges of the global economy.

A scientific event always brings out a celebration for the area of knowledge and also an opportunity to establish new collaborations between institutions, universities, economic entities and, maybe most important, between people. We therefore congratulate all those putting their mind and soul in contributing to this conference which I trust will turn out just as special as all events being organized by Students Association of South and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region Economic Universities. When we say youth, we say the future. And our future seems to be saying forever young, forever getting free. It is said that a man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams (John Barrymore). It is our youth division that gives birth to countless new dreams, therefore helping us all stay young.

We very much appreciate our thoughtful hosts, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration and all those undertaking the task to make these days a pleasant, fruitful stay for all conference participants. Thank you for making this event possible, here in Iasi!

The event provides the platform for promoting an open discussion and permanent interaction through its wide open policy toward innovative ideas as a factor generating added value for scientific knowledge. It was recent turbulent times that made us question the pace and fragility of stock market based globalization as an economic and political process. The wisdom of replacing national institutions and regulatory safeguards built up over centuries with largely unrestricted free global markets in the presence of highly fragile global governance structures is beginning to run into serious opposition (Walker, 2010). When looking at the conference sections I can only congratulate the organizers for their timeliness. Following an interdisciplinary approach, conference presentations will cover recent debates in the area of finance and banking, sustainable development through organizational management and business communication, as well as the recent financial crisis still getting significant part of the ink. All these, through the perspective of a greater challenge towards the global economy. It is under such complex and interesting settings that I welcome debates helping us shape future perspectives on globalization.

Wise men say that it takes a long time to become young (Pablo Picasso) and that anyone who stops learning is old (Henry Ford). It is events like this that help us all keep learning from each other and making sure we stay young. I would like to also conclude by making reference to the words of the man who changed the course of Greco-Roman history: Veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered). I wish you all to have Julius Caesar’s strength and determination in every day of your life.

After the two challenging conference days do not forget to relax and enjoy each other’s company during the trip to the wonderful Bucovina region.

Thank you all for participating! Dear students, I wish you only succeses and high performances! We all put our trust in you!

Professor Dumitru Matiş, PhD.
Dean of the Faculty of Economics
and Business Administration,
Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca
Member of ASECU Management Committee