RASTA Policy Engagements
The RASTA Policy Engagements platform is designed to bridge the gap between research and policymaking by creating spaces for dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange. Through a series of strategic initiatives, RASTA connects researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and academics to ensure that evidence-based insights actively inform public policy in Pakistan. A key pillar of these engagements is the dissemination of research supported under RASTA’s Competitive Grants Program (CGP), enabling meaningful conversations around critical economic and development challenges. These engagements are not limited to formal discussions but extend to interactive forums that encourage participation from diverse stakeholders across the public and private sectors.
RASTA Conferences
RASTA has successfully organized five flagship conferences, each serving as a premier platform for presenting high-quality, evidence-based research funded through the Competitive Grants Program (CGP). These conferences bring together policymakers, practitioners, academics, and researchers to exchange ideas, discuss policy implications, and explore practical solutions to Pakistan’s pressing challenges.
Over the years, the RASTA Conferences have become a cornerstone of policy dialogue, strengthening the connection between research and real-world decision-making while fostering a culture of informed policymaking in the country.
ECONFEST
As part of RASTA Policy Engagements, ECONFEST serves as an innovative and inclusive platform that promotes economic awareness and public engagement. It brings together students, researchers, and the broader community to interact with economic ideas in a more accessible and dynamic environment.
Through panel discussions, exhibitions, and interactive sessions, ECONFEST aims to simplify complex economic concepts and encourage wider participation in policy discourse, making economics more relatable and impactful for society at large.
PIDE–RASTA Sludge Audit
The PIDE–RASTA Sludge Audit is a targeted initiative to identify and eliminate unnecessary regulatory burdens that slow down decision-making, business activity, and public service delivery in Pakistan.
Led by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics under the RASTA framework, the audit reviews existing rules, procedures, and compliance requirements to pinpoint inefficiencies and redundancies. By offering practical, evidence-based recommendations, the Sludge Audit supports policy reforms that simplify processes, improve ease of doing business, and promote a more efficient and transparent governance system.