2016 SUMMER SCHOOL FOR YOUNG ECONOMISTS

From September 12-23, 2016, Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT) and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) will organize a Regional Training Course (Summer School) on Applied Econometric Analysis. The aim of the Summer School is to strengthen the capacity of young economists in Central Asia, specifically those of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, for quantitative research, economic policy analysis, and, in particular, for econometric analysis of socioeconomic phenomena in the context of economics and related social sciences.

The emphasis of the Summer School Program will be made on identifying causal relationships using modern tools and techniques of applied econometric analysis. When necessary, the program will also cover mathematical foundations of modern econometrics. In particular, students of the Summer School Program will learn:

• how to identify and develop research questions, important aspects of writing scientific papers and process of publication of research results in international peer-reviewed journals
• methods of empirical data analysis and building robust econometric models
• methods of detecting causality in cross – sectional and panel data and identification strategies, addressing endogeneity and heterogeneity problems
• how to the interpret analytically the results of empirical research

Classes of the Summer School Program will be held at WIUT premises in Tashkent, with sessions combining applied and empirical analyses using advanced statistical packages such as Stata. All classes will be conducted in English by IFPRI senior researchers and WIUT faculty members with experience in modern applied research in economics. The most promising researchers among the participants of the Summer School may be invited, on a competitive basis, to IFPRI headquarters in Washington, D.C. for a research internship.

Participation requirements:

Participants for the Summer School Program will be selected on a competitive basis. All those who are engaged in research or seek a career involving research, are fluent in English, are at the age of 35 or younger, and reside in one of the following countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, are eligible. Applicants should submit a completed (2016 Summer School Application Form) together with their most up to date CV to the following addresses:

Applicants residing in Uzbekistan, please send your application package to research@wiut.org.  Applicants residing in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan, please send your application package to S.Zaman@cgiar.org by no later than August 10, 2016.

The organizers will provide foreign participants of the summer school with economy class round trip ticket to Tashkent, accommodation and living allowances for the duration of the Summer School.  To gain a better understanding of the programs curriculum, please review the curriculum offered during the 2015 Summer School for Young Economists.