UG Economics PhD Students Participate in 22nd I.S.E.O. Summer School in Economics in Italy

Two PhD students from the Department of Economics, University of Ghana, Alice Nubuor and Abubakari Mohammed, participated in the 22nd I.S.E.O. Summer School in Economics, held from 13–20 June 2026 at the Iseolago Hotel in Iseo, Italy. The programme was organised by the Istituto di Studi Economici e per l’Occupazione, under the theme “The New Global Economic Order.”

The I.S.E.O. Summer School is an international programme that brings together graduate students and early-career economists from across the world to engage with leading scholars on pressing global economic issues. The 2026 edition brought together 100 participants from 41 countries and 73 universities, offering a rich platform for learning, academic exchange, and international networking. 

The programme featured lectures by distinguished economists, including Michael Spence, Nobel Laureate in Economics 2001; James J. Heckman, Nobel Laureate in Economics 2000; Kamiar Mohaddes of the University of Cambridge; Lisandra Flach of LMU Munich and the ifo Institute; Valentina Bosetti of Bocconi University; Robert Wescott, former economic adviser to U.S. President Clinton; and Christopher Rauh of the University of Cambridge and the Barcelona School of Economics. 

Across the week-long residential programme, participants engaged with topics including macroeconomic uncertainty, international trade policy, demographic change, climate change and sustainability, artificial intelligence and data science, geopolitical risk, and conflict. The lectures and discussions provided participants with both a broad understanding of the changing global economic order and deeper insights into the implications of these shifts for development economics research.

Alice Nubuor and Abubakari Mohammed participated fully in the lectures, discussions, poster session, and networking activities. Their participation enhanced the Department’s international visibility and provided an opportunity for its graduate students to exchange ideas with economists, doctoral researchers, and policy-oriented scholars from around the world.

Reflecting on the experience, Alice Nubuor noted:

“The lectures offered a powerful macroeconomic backdrop, but what stayed with me was seeing how those global shocks translate into hidden micro-level shifts — and being able to think through how to navigate that uncertainty alongside peers from across the world. The exchange of perspectives with people from so many countries and academic backgrounds was as valuable as the formal sessions.”

The Department congratulates Alice Nubuor and Abubakari Mohammed on their selection and participation in this prestigious international programme. Their engagement reflects the Department’s continued commitment to supporting graduate training, international exposure, and high-quality research in economics.