Dr. Phouphet Kyophilavong is Vice President of the National University of Laos and Professor of Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Business Management. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Kobe University, Japan, and has over 20 years of experience in applied economic research and policy analysis. A leading economist in Laos and the Greater Mekong Subregion, he specializes in trade, environment, natural resource management, energy, and macroeconomic policy. Professor Kyophilavong has published over 100 journal papers and book chapters, with more than 50 indexed in Scopus, and is ranked as the top scientist in Laos by AD Scientific Index (2019–2023). He has collaborated with major international organizations including ADB, UNDP, World Bank, JICA, and OECD. A former Fulbright Visiting Fellow at Harvard University, he continues to advance sustainable development and regional economic integration through research, teaching, and policy engagement.