Sungsup Ra

Director, Human and Social Development Division, South Asia Regional Department

Mr. Ra is Chair of the Education Sector Group in ADB. Since joining ADB in 2001, he worked as Director, Pacific Strategy and Special Operations, Pacific Department, Senior Advisor to the Managing Director General, and Deputy Country Director for Bangladesh and Nepal Country Offices. Prior to ADB, he has a broad range of experience working with public and private entities such as Samsung and Korean National Pension. He also taught at leading universities in Japan, Korea, and USA. Author of over 50 publications, he is a regular contributor to public debates in news media and conferences on current economic and human development issues. Recognized in Marquis “Who’s Who,” he is a member of the International Advisory Board of the Journal of Asia-Pacific Economy published by Routledge, UK. He holds a Doctorate Degree in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.

School closures should be a last resort, in part because it is expected to cause students in Asia and the Pacific to lose future annual earnings. Photo: ADB

Why school closure is a last resort

School reopening should be done on a risk-based approach – with situations closely monitored, particularly for the effect of COVID-19 variants – and school closure be used as a last resort.

Hyuncheol Bryant Kim, Sungsup Ra, Ryotaro Hayashi

For graduates to get the education and skills they need to succeed in the modern work world, institutions of higher education in South Asia need to improve their governance. Photo: Dollar Gill

Getting higher education governance right in South Asia

Effective higher education systems are critical for countries to advance. In South Asia, reforming governance structures and practices is a crucial step

Sungsup Ra, Jung Cheol Shin, Unika Shrestha

Bangladesh has been successful in keeping girls in school and improving their lives. Photo: ADB

An innovative girls’ scholarship program in Bangladesh provides school re-opening lessons

Bangladesh not only kept girls in school but improved their lives on multiple levels with a simple, low-cost stipend program. It offers valuable insights for school systems around the world struggling with the pandemic.

Sungsup Ra, Yasuyuki Sawada, Ryotaro Hayashi

In India, COVID-19 efforts can be combined with tuberculosis prevention help defeat both illnesses. Photo: Shubhangee Vyas

In India, simultaneously fighting tuberculosis and COVID-19 could save millions of lives

COVID-19 and tuberculosis are both respiratory illnesses that can be addressed with similar strategies and resources.

Sonalini Khetrapal, Sungsup Ra, Patrick L. Osewe

In the People’s Republic of China, COVID-19 forced a rapid transition to online learning. Photo: Sergey Zolkin

Lessons learned from the massive shift to online learning due to COVID-19

The surge in online learning in the People’s Republic of China during the coronavirus outbreak highlights the importance of infrastructure, platforms and the preparedness of teachers, students and parents.

Jeffrey Jian Xu , Sungsup Ra, Brajesh Panth

Increasingly, developing countries are working to improve the way they assess students’ progress. Photo: Rajesh Rajput

Three ways to enhance student assessments

Developing a holistic national student assessment system can be a colossal undertaking but strategic measures can produce results.

Sungsup Ra, Unika Shrestha

In Bhutan, the government has recognized that health is inextricable linked to happiness. Photo: ADB

Staying healthy and happy in Bhutan

Bhutan is using an innovative financing system to ensure its citizens have access to quality affordable health care.

Sungsup Ra, Rajesh Poddar, Sonalini Khetrapal

Tiwi–Makban is the first project bond ever issued in local currency in the Philippine power sector.

How to bridge the financing gap in Asian infrastructure

We must make it easier for Asia’s institutional investors to finance infrastructure projects.

Li Zhigang, Sungsup Ra

South Asian countries have invested in policies and plans to utilize ICT for education.

6 ways to deploy ICT for quality education

For developing Asia to realize the potential of ICT in education, it must become an integral part of the learning and teaching process.

Sungsup Ra, Lim Cher Ping

Drones make precision farming a reality.

How the gig economy can transform farms in the developing world

What Uber has done for urban transport, drones can do for farms and the billions who depend on them.

Sohail Hasnie, Sungsup Ra

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