UNCTAD YSI Summer School 2023

6th Annual UNCTAD YSI Summer School 2023

The Young Scholars Initiative of the Institute for New Economic Thinking (YSI) and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) are hosting their 6th Annual Summer School from 28-31 August, 2023. The school will take a hybrid format this year, bringing a small group of participants together in-person, and allowing others to join the lectures and discussions online:

Finance, Growth and Distribution: Policy challenges in a world of cascading crises

Under the shared premise that no country alone can address the multiple challenges posed by intertwining and intensifying economic, social and environmental crises, this year’s lectures will discuss prospects and obstacles for a green and equitable transformation of the global economy. It will highlight the constraints and vulnerabilities faced, in particular, by developing and emerging economies, related to weak economic structures, market asymmetries, and exposure to financial shocks. The lectures will focus on the distributional implications of a “business as usual” approach as well as consider alternative inclusive, and development-friendly strategies.

Register to attend online | OPEN NOW

Senior speaker lectures will be live-streamed every day. Young scholars will host follow-up discussions on zoom. Register here for each session you plan to attend. Registration for in-person attendance is now closed.

Certificate of Attendance

To qualify for a certificate, you are required to

• Use the same email address to register for all events
• Attend the keynote (live) and the roundtable (live)
• Attend at at least 3 lectures and participate in at least 3 follow-up discussions (live)

Virtual Program

Times are listed in CEST. View as PDF here.
Note: You must register for each session you plan to attend. Please use the same email address throughout. Failing to do so may prevent you from qualifying for a certificate of attendance.

Monday, 28 August

14:00 – 15:00 Opening remarks: Richard Kozul-Wright (UNCTAD GDS)
Keynote: Ha-Joon Chang (SOAS, London)
Register here

16.00 – 16.55 Lecture 1: Carolina Alves (IIPP UCL)
Discussant: Giovanni Valensisi (UNCTAD)
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17:00 – 17:45 Follow up Discussion 1
Hosted by Mokshya Wadwha (YSI) and Varsha Gupta (YSI)
Register here

Tuesday, 29 August

09:30 – 10:45 Lecture 2: The institutions of development finance
Lecturer: Fadhel Kaboub
Discussant: Katie Gallogly-Swan (UNCTAD)
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16:00 – 16:55 Lecture 3: Financial cycles in developing countries
Lecturer: Jan Toporowski (SOAS, London)
Discussant: Anastasia Nesvetailova, UNCTAD GDS
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17:00 – 17:45 Follow up Discussion 2
Hosted by Adam Kerenyi (YSI) and Firdous Malik (YSI)
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Wednesday, 30 August

09.30 – 10:25 Lecture 4: Demand-led growth and income distribution
Lecturer: Michalis Nikiforos (UNIGE)
Discussant: Orsola Costantini (UNCTAD)
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16:30 – 17:25 Lecture 5: Climate Change: what do economic models tell us?
Lecturer: Michael Grubb (University College London)
Discussant: TBC
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17:30 – 18:15 Follow up Discussion 3
Hosted by Mary Mbugua (YSI), Suresh Govindapuram (YSI)
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Thursday, 31 August

14:00 – 14:55 Lecture 6: Industrial Policy
Lecturer: Ebru Voyvoda (Middle East Technical University)
Discussant: Rashmi Banga (UNCTAD)
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16:00 – 17:00 Roundtable 1: Inequality in a warming world
Ha-Joon Chang (SOAS, University of London)
Avinash Persaud (Gresham College)
Ebru Voyvoda (Middle East Technical University)
Michalis Nikiforos (UNIGE)
Nat Tarnpanich (Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO)
Moderated by Richard Kozul-Wright
Closing remarks
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17:00 – 17:45 Follow up Discussion 4
Hosted by Carla Coburger (YSI) and Timothy Bisakaya (YSI)
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About the organizers

UNCTAD

UNCTAD is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964. The organization is governed by its 194 member States and is the United Nations body responsible for dealing with economic and sustainable development issues with a focus on trade, finance, investment and technology. It helps developing countries to participate equitably in the global economy. UNCTAD carries out economic research, produces innovative analyses and makes policy recommendations to support government decision-making.

Division on Globalization & Development Strategies at UNCTAD

The Division promotes policies at the national, regional and international level that are conducive to stable economic growth and sustainable development. It regularly examines the trends and prospects in the world economy, undertakes studies on the requirements for successful development strategies and on the debt problems of developing countries. It also provides technical support to developing countries in their efforts to integrate into the international financial system and to manage their external debt.

INET’s Young Scholars Initiative

YSI is a community of 20,000 students, young professionals, and researchers from across the globe pursuing new and critical ways of thinking about the economy. You are invited to become a member and join any of 21 working groups on topics such as sustainability, gender, inequality, development, financial stability, and more. Membership enables you to participate in community-organized webinars, workshops and conferences all over the world. Join and connect with like-minded peers and experts in your field of study.
More info at ysi.ineteconomics.org

Organizing Committee

Richard Kozul Wright – Director, Division on Globalization and Development Strategies, UNCTAD
Orsola Costantini – Economic Affairs Officer, UNCTAD
Maria Ahmed – Economic Affairs Officer, UNCTAD
Wing Yee Li – Associate Expert UNCTAD/DESA, UNCTAD
John Moore – UNOG ICTS Event Support, UNCTAD
Jay Pocklington – Director of the Young Scholars Initiative, INET
Heske van Doornen – Director of the Young Scholars Initiative, INET
Ramon Contreras – Head of Special Events, INET
Christina Mosalagae – Consultant to Young Scholars Initiative, INET
Audra Aucoin – Grants Manager, INET
Kurt Semm – Junior Economist, INET
Moskya Wadhwa – Organizer, Young Scholars Initiative, INET
Varsha Gupta – Organizer, Young Scholars Initiative, INET
Adam Kerenyi – Coordinator, Young Scholars Initiative, INET
Firdous Malik – Organizer, Young Scholars Initiative, INET
Suresh Govindapuram – Organizer, Young Scholars Initiative, INET
Mary Mbugua – Organizer, Young Scholars Initiative, INET
Carla Coburger – Coordinator, Young Scholars Initiative, INET
Timothy Bisakaya – Coordinator, Young Scholars Initiative, INET