(Feb News) Tuesday, June 3, 2025 - The Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga officially opened the 9th International Conference and Ph.D. Colloquium for Economics and Business (9th ICEB) this Tuesday. The conference which lasted for two days presented academics, researchers, and practitioners from various countries to discuss strategic issues in the fields of global economics and business.
One of the main speakers, Dr. Vasilios Stouraitis from Glasgow Caledonian University, United Kingdom, explained the results of collaborative research with the United Nations (UN) regarding the challenges and opportunities of digital entrepreneurship among rural youth in southern global countries, especially in India and Papua New Guinea.
Dr. Stouraitis highlighted a number of main obstacles faced by young people aged 15-24 years, such as limited access to digital technology, entrepreneurship training, and policies that have not been inclusive. However, youth began to explore the role in the agribusiness service sector, not just production.
"Rural youth face serious obstacles in accessing relevant digital resources and entrepreneurial training. To create sustainable changes, comprehensive policies and educational support are able to equip them with adequate skills and access," said Dr. Stouraitis. He also emphasized that "the focus of digital solutions and easily accessible training can change the rural entrepreneurship landscape and open new opportunities that have been less explored, especially for young entrepreneurs who have been marginalized."
This study also revealed the importance of digitalization to open market access and logistics, as well as the attractiveness of the agricultural sector for the younger generation. Interestingly, many female entrepreneurs prefer to try in groups, creating opportunities for development of collective capacity.
As a follow-up, researchers recommend the development of new skills training programs that are relevant to the demands of the digital market and local needs, as well as the use of digital technology to reach remote areas and overcome infrastructure barriers. In addition, the reformulation of government policy that is more responsive, inclusive, and easily accessed is an important thing that is highlighted. No less important, the expansion of the role of youth is not only limited to the production sector, but also includes distribution, processing, and services in the agricultural value chain.
The complete document of this study has been published as part of the United Nations Joint Initiative and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and is expected to be a strategic reference in building an inclusive and sustainable rural entrepreneurship ecosystem.
