Southeast Asian Economics Project

The Southeast Asian Economics Project (SEAEcon) is a prestigious, regional student-led economic initiative headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It serves as an intellectual platform for students across Southeast Asia to engage with multidisciplinary pluralism conomic thinking. The initiative is designed to bridge the gap between global economic theories and the specific socio-political realities of the ASEAN region, encouraging students to synthesize traditional neoclassical foundations with heterodox perspectives and multidisciplinary insights from law, politics, sociology and other disciplines in the social sciences.

The project was established in August 2025 as the Malaysia Students Economics Project, an informal initiative originally created to address the lack of specialized economics programs for high school students in Malaysia. Recognizing a broader regional demand for contextually grounded economic analysis, the organization underwent a significant transformation and was officially relaunched as the Southeast Asian Economics Project on February 16, 2026. This relaunch introduced a decentralized, chapter-based model designed to empower students across the region to contribute to their own national economic discourses.

The Southeast Asian Economics Project operates through a hybrid structure that combines centralized regional coordination with locally driven impact. While the headquarters in Kuala Lumpur designs and facilitates major regional frameworks and competitions, the initiative is sustained by a network of Country Chapters. These student-led units adapt regional programming to fit their specific national contexts, allowing them to engage local communities and address country-specific economic challenges.

The initiative’s objectives are explicitly aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, focusing particularly on democratizing economic literacy and fostering a resilient, innovative regional economy.

The initiative's activities are divided into four primary strategic pathways, each aimed at a different level of student engagement and policy contribution.

Competitions and Programs

This pathway focuses on technical skill-building through diverse competition formats and intensive simulation programs. These events provide structured environments where students can apply multidisciplinary economic frameworks to real-world scenarios.

Events and Discourse

The Events and Discourse pathway is dedicated to fostering high-level regional dialogue. The initiative aims to host a flagship annual forum that brings together students, academics, and policymakers. In addition to this central summit, SEAEcon organizes year-round convenings that respond to discussions from global economic forums, such as the G20 or APEC, ensuring that a distinct Southeast Asian youth perspective is represented in international economic debates.

Research and Publications

Cengkih Research is the initiative’s independent, student-led policy think tank. It serves as a research pipeline where students produce rigorous policy briefs and white papers on pressing Southeast Asian economic issues. The think tank utilizes data and position papers generated during the initiative's programmes and forums to create evidence-based analysis, providing a platform for young researchers to contribute original ideas to the regional policy landscape.

Workshops and Education

The Workshops and Education pathway focuses on grassroots accessibility and social equity. The Southeast Asian Economics Project delivers free educational workshops at the school level across Southeast Asia, targeting students from diverse demographics and varying family income levels. This pathway is designed to ensure that economic literacy and the ability to engage in national discourse are not restricted by socio-economic status.

The project’s branding and creative direction are inspired by the historical natural dye economies of Southeast Asia. The visual identity utilizes colors such as turmeric yellow and coral lac pink, referencing the ancient trade routes and traditional batik patterns that connected the region for centuries.