Instructors

The objective of this course is to familiarize students with the growing field of impact evaluation in economics. The course presents the main methodologies used to quantify the causal effect of policy interventions on outcomes, including randomized evaluations, difference-in-differences, regression discontinuity designs and natural experiments. These methodologies are assessed critically focusing on their weaknesses and strengths as well as focusing on their application in Stata. The course also offers an overview of the key debates in the design and implementation of a wide range of policies, and their impact on tackling poverty, improving quality and access to education, regeneration of deprived areas, fostering employment, salaries, among others. Innovation Policies: This course aims at providing tools to understand economic research on determinants and consequences of innovation, the economic grounds for innovation policy and its design, current innovation policies and their evaluation. The course will have a strong empirical focus: it intends to help you understand available methods for an evidence based innovation policy. Upon completion of this course, you should be able to 1) understand the economic rationale for government involvement in innovation and science policy; 2) discuss what the impact of such involvement may be; 3) find and interpret sound empirical research on these issues, and 4) analyze current policies. Infrastructure Policies: This course studies the economic aspects of infrastructures using the tools of economic analysis in deciding the optimal level o