Welcome to the October 2013 CEPAR newsletter. www.cepar.edu.au

Centre Director's Message

One of the ways we pursue our objective of becoming a global intellectual hub for population ageing research is through partnering with world class international institutions.

This requires the highest standards of our researchers and our research outputs; it allows our research to be maximally disseminated and recognised; and it informs and shapes a continually evolving research agenda.

We connect most effectively through our rapidly increasing flow of international visitors, our strong presence at international research meetings – especially in Asia, Europe and North America; and through hosting world class events. In the last half of 2013, these include our first international conference (UNSW July), the Harvard CEPAR workshop on population ageing (Harvard September), and the CEPAR-RIPPA Pension Conference (UNSW November).

In addition, public lectures include presentations at ANU by Dr Alex Kalache, former World Health Organization Director responsible for launching the WHO Active Ageing Policy Framework and the Global Movement for Age‑Friendly Cities (October); by Partner Investigator Carol Jagger (University of Newcastle UK), and by Jean-Marie Robine (Research Director at INSERM, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research with CERMES3 in Paris) in December.

This issue features further global connections. Behind all this is ongoing work – collaborative research, grant applications, event planning – underpinning an increasingly rich matrix of connection and engagement across the world. It all speaks to CEPAR’s growing reputation on the world stage.  

Ermanno Pitacco Visit


World renowned Professor of Actuarial Mathematics Ermanno Pitacco, from the University of Trieste, Italy, visited CEPAR in October to present a seminar on biometric risk transfer.

An international leader in the field of mortality and longevity risk, Professor Pitacco’s presentation examined the design of longevity products and the effectiveness of their risk transfers.

He addressed new developments in the annuities market, including the emergence of flexible products such as  variable annuities.

These complex products proved popular in marketplaces across Europe, Asia and the US in the lead up to the GFC.

However, many insurers stopped offering them post-GFC due to changing insurer cost structures which had an impact on pricing. 

As the market returns to this product, Professor Pitacco's insights bear great relevance. 

Professor Pitacco also used his time in Australia to work on an upcoming book on longevity risk with co-author Professor Michael Sherris. 

For more information contact Michael Sherris or visit our website
 

International Istanbul Initiative on Ageing: Congress Declaration

CEPAR's Professor Hal Kendig was invited to the recent International Istanbul Initiative on Ageing: Congress Declaration where he joined a panel session sharing insights on research and policy interactions from jurisdictions around the world including Canada and the United States. 

Professor Kendig said: "Governments and international organisations are increasingly taking ageing seriously. Nowhere was this clearer than at this conference."

The Conference saw some regions attending a global meeting for the first time. Professor Kendig said:  "This conference facilitates communication across non-government organisations, the UN,  governments from around the world and academics in ways that are about the substantive issues. It was focussed on driving ideas from the NGO sector and academia through to government policy outcomes.

"Australians are playing  a major leadership role in this international discussion. The Living Longer, Living Better reform program and the appointment of an Age Discrimination Commissioner are two significant Australian examples that I talked about."

Professor Kendig said: “Big investment in research prior to CEPAR was extremely limited. It was mainly focussed on issues of health and care. Now it is translating to the broader social and economic development challenges being presented.”

This most recent conference saw that discussion taking place on an international scale and at the world’s geographical crossroads.

For more information contact Hal Kendig
Featured Research

Kudrna, G. and Woodland, A. (2013), “Macroeconomic and Welfare Effects of the 2010 Changes to Mandatory Superannuation”, Economic Record, Published online: 10 Jul 2013,  DOI: 10.1111/1475-4932.12061

READ PAPER

Follow us

For the latest research, news and commentary on population ageing follow us on Twitter @CEPAR_research 

Visit our website 
www.cepar.edu.au

Sign up
If someone has forwarded this to you, please sign up here to receive CEPAR's monthly newsletter.

Staff profile

We meet George Kudrna, superannuation expert and fishing enthusiast. 

READ MORE
Upcoming Events

Emerging Researchers in Ageing
25 - 26 November 2013
University of Sydney
Keynote Speaker Professor Robert Cumming
Registrations OPEN

Carol Jagger Public Lecture
Pathways of health in the very old
11am - 12 noon
13 December, ANU
MORE INFO

Jean-Marie Robine Public Lecture
Emerging International trends in mortality and longevity
2pm - 3pm
13 December, ANU
MORE INFO
Copyright © 2013 ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research, All rights reserved.