Annual SIGMA Research Symposium 2023 / 19th International Conference on Pensions, Insurance and Savings

Theme
“Ageing and Well-being over the Life Course”

Dates/Venue
11-12 May 2023/Hitotsubashi University (HU), Tokyo, Japan

Organisers
SIGMA
Co-Organizaed by Université Paris Dauphine-PSL LEDa DIAL and House of Finance, the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association(EMEA), EMANES and NOVA IMS.

Aims and Desired Outcomes
At this two-day forum, researchers and Ph.D. candidates from all SIGMA member institutions, industry/community experts and policymakers will be invited to exchange and discuss research findings and related policy implications in the area of Ageing and Well-being over the Life Course.

Specifically, the Symposium
•　provides a platform for SIGMA members to present their research achievements and provide policymakers with insightful recommendations in an area of importance to SIGMA’s remit and focus, as well as to raise awareness of SIGMA’s contribution and impact on societies, globally,
•　serves as a catalyst to foster and promote interdisciplinary research collaborations between SIGMA members and industry/community collaborators to develop joint research publications and pitch for joint research grants on these issues, and
•　aligns research interests of young researchers and graduate students to promote research on these issues and develop research capacity in common topics of interest among SIGMA members.

Envisioned outcomes:
1. Sharing of best practices for policymakers in enabling holistic well-being
2. Provide insights and raise awareness of current trends in older adult well-being

Research findings and key outcomes will also be presented at the SIGMA session of the UPD’s International Conference on Pensions, Insurance and Savings.

Format:
Day 1: Academic Forum
Day 2: Policy Roundtables

Online participation will be possible in some sessions.

Thematic Overview
The proposed theme for the Annual SIGMA Research Symposium is “Ageing and Well-being over the Life Course”. This theme broadly encompasses issues and topics related to individual well-being across the life course although particular emphasis will be placed on well-being among older adults. Presentation topics may include examining the stressors or predictors of well-being, as well as the resources that individuals rely on for their well-being throughout different stages of life. While ageing will be a key focus of the symposium, presentations examining well-being at earlier stages of life (such as among student populations) will also be welcome.

Within the umbrella theme of well-being among over the life course the symposium will explore the following specific sub-themes that correspond to the four key dimensions of well-being;

1. Economic well-being: this theme encompasses but is not limited to understanding various aspects of individuals’ access to economic resources and their capacity to contribute to an individual’s needs and aspirations, as well as their ability to cope with the financial implications of risks (such as health-care costs, loss of income through unemployment or the sudden onset of unfortunate events)
a. Healthcare Insurance
b. Social Security and Public Pension
c. Retirement Preparedness

2. Mental well-being: this theme encompasses but is not limited to both subjective and cognitive aspects of mental well-being, for instance the experience of pleasant and unpleasant feelings and satisfaction with one’s life, as well as one’s cognitive functioning and vulnerability to conditions such as dementia
a. Mental resilience over the life course
b. Impact of Covid-19 on mental well-being
c. Impact of interventions on mental health and well-being

3. Physical well-being: this theme encompasses but is not limited to epidemiological studies of the incidence of chronic disease and mortality rates among older adults, the study of health behaviors, as well as shifting notions of physical ability and health from the onset of disease to the concept of intrinsic capacity
a. Preventive healthcare policies and approaches
b. [additional topics to be included]

4. Social well-being: this theme encompasses but is not limited to both subjective and objective dimensions of social well-being, for instance the social network resources of older adults, as well as older adults’ subjective assessments of their integration within their communities or the issue of loneliness and social isolation among older adults
a. Entering the Endemic: are older adults ready for the new norm?
b. [additional topics to be included]

Researchers will be invited to present their work on any of these sub-themes, with the option to present either more academically oriented topics on Day 1, or more policy and practice-oriented topics on Day 2. Specific topics for either category can include issues related to the measurement of these dimensions of well-being, the stressors that influence these dimensions of well-being, as well as policy related issues regarding the availability of resources that can influence older adult well-being. Studies involving cross-cultural comparisons are particularly welcome.

Call for Papers
For the details, please click here.