Learning
UNU-WIDER Summer School

The Institute holds the course with a view to involving these scholars in the 2019-2023 work programme , and in particular, UNU-WIDER’s new flagship projects: Transforming informal work and livelihoods, Varieties of structural transformation, Social mobility in the Global South, and Women’s work.

The course aims to provide early-career scholars in the Global South withwith further training on the theories, methods and data issues for conducting high-quality analysis of applied labour economics. The course will be led by UNU-WIDER expert researchers, Kunal Sen, Carlos Gradín, Maria C. Lo Bue, and Simone Schotte, along with leading experts from the UNU-WIDER global network:

• Gary Fields, John P. Windmuller Professor of International and Comparative Labor, and Professor of Economics at Cornell University, 2014 winner of the IZA Prize in Labor Economics
• Sergio Firpo, Instituto Unibanco Professor of Economics, Insper Institute of Education and Research, São Paulo
• Costanza Biavaschi, Associate Professor, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
• Patrizio Piraino, Associate Professor, University of Cape Town

The UNU-WIDER Summer School will provide participants with a toolkit in applied economics with special focus on the quantitative analysis of labour 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.

Applications are now open, learn more here.

Deadline for application is 31 May 2019 23:59 UTC+3.

Selection criteria

Applicants must be an early-career researcher and have shown ability to conduct research on developing economies. Applications from PhD 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.

Financial assistance

UNU-WIDER will provide successful applicants with a travel grant to cover costs of travel from and return to the home institution, accommodation, and most meals during the stay in Cape Town. Backoffice support will also be available to obtain an entry visa to South Africa.

Application procedure

UNU-WIDER will only receive online applications for the summer school. Deadline for submission of applications is 31 May 2019 23:59 UTC+3 via the online application.

Please take note that the following four documents are required when submitting your application:

1. Up-to-date CV
2. A research study that you have (co-)authored (preferably published)
3. Letter of recommendation. This document must be submitted by its signatory to summerschool@wider.unu.edu by 31 May 2019 23:59 UTC+3, and you must provide the signatory’s name in the application
4. A short research proposal that you would be able to concretize during the two-week course. The research proposal must not exceed 1,500 words and must include: (i) the title of the proposed paper; (ii) the main research questions and/or hypotheses; (iii) the research methods to be applied; (iv) data; and (v) key references.

Shortlisted candidates will be requested to take a short test on their quantitative skills (Stata coding, interpretation of regression results, etc.). The test will take place online.

Selected applicants will be informed by email of the final decision within six weeks of the closing deadline. The selected applicants must confirm their decision to take up the offer within two weeks of being contacted.

Please note we do not receive applications by email or post.

Contact

If you have questions about the course or you experience any problems with the online application, please contact us at the following email address: summerschool@wider.unu.edu

Please note that replies may take up to three working days.