Deadline: 31 May 2019
Open to: early-career researchers, Ph.D. candidates
Benefits: fully-funded
Description
UNU-WIDER, in collaboration with the Development Policy Research Unit (DPRU) at the University of Cape Town (UCT), is launching a new, two-week intensive summer school on applied labor economics. The course will take place in Cape Town during 18-29 November 2019. The aim of the training is to provide early-career scholars in the Global South with further training on the theories, methods and data issues for conducting a high-quality analysis of applied labor economics.
The Summer School will provide participants with a toolkit in applied economics with a special focus on the quantitative analysis of labor markets in developing countries. During the two weeks, participants will take part in lectures given by leading experts from UNU-WIDER’s global network and work intensively in the data lab to strengthen quantitative research skills. Beyond providing a methodological toolkit using practical examples, one of the main aims of this course is to sensitize participants to the key factors that make high-impact publications (including innovativeness, ability to make causal claims/deal with issues of endogeneity, and policy relevance, amongst others).
Topics that will be addressed during the course include:
- Fundamentals in labor market economics for development: concepts and definitions
- Theories of labor markets in developing countries: segmented markets, policies and institutions
- Inequality, poverty, and employment: main statistics, regression-based decomposition techniques
- Labour statistics: data sources, quality, core indicators
- Applied econometric methods for causal identification:
- quasi-experimental (propensity score matching, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity design, difference-in-differences)
- experimental: randomized control trial, lab-in-the-field
6. Analysis of employment transitions using panel data.
Eligibility
Applicants must be an early-career researcher and have shown the ability to conduct research on developing economies. Applications from Ph.D. candidates who are about to complete the dissertation will also be considered. Candidates should be fluent in oral and written English and possess good quantitative analytical skills. Application is open to researchers from universities and research institutes in Africa and other developing countries in Latin America and Asia. Applications from suitably qualified early-career female researchers are particularly encouraged.
Benefits
UNU-WIDER will provide successful applicants with a travel grant to cover costs of travel to and from the home institution, accommodation, and most meals during the stay in Cape Town. Back office support will also be available to obtain an entry visa to South Africa.
How to apply?
In order to apply, please fill the application form.
For more information, please visit the official web page.
