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Economics & Social Sciences

Applied Public Policy Evaluation

When:

07 July - 11 July 2025

School:

Tinbergen Institute & Business Data Science Summer School

Institution:

Tinbergen Institute & Business Data Science

City:

Amsterdam

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

English

Credits:

3 EC

Fee:

800 EUR

Early Bird deadline 15 April 2025
Interested?
Applied Public Policy Evaluation

About

Many policy related empirical questions in economics are answered using detailed individual data and require analyzing individual behavior. This often implies that a causal parameters should be estimated to assess how a public policy affects individual outcomes. In many settings regression models provide correlations which only in special cases have a causal interpretation. In this course we discuss methods dealing with these confounding factors, such as omitted variables, reverse causality, measurement errors and non-random sampling. In particular, we consider limited dependent variable models, instrumental variables estimation and panel data models. We introduce the potential outcomes model, which is the most general model for defining treatment effects such as average treatment effect, average treatment effect on the treated, quantile treatment effects and local average treatment effects. The emphasis of the course is on identification, estimation and interpretation rather than a thorough treatment of the asymptotic properties of the estimators.

During the course applications of the different methods are discussed in the fields of labor economics, public economics, health economics, and the economics of education. Students learn how to assess the intended and unintended welfare effects of public polies that can be inferred from empirical research. For this, they use the framework of “Marginal Value of Public Funds”(MVPF) applied to different policy contexts. This framework does not only provide guidance on the efficiency of policies, but also on equity effects targeted at vulnerable groups on the labor market. We then can think of policies that aim to augment the human capital of individuals or those that aim to provide income certainty.

Course leader

Bas van der Klaauw (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) and Pierre Koning (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Target group

The Summer School welcomes master students, PhD students, post-docs as well as practitioners who are interested applied public policy evaluation.
Admission requirements

Students are assumed to be familiar with the basic concepts in econometrics, such as linear regression, instrumental variables, panel data, logit/probit models and hypothesis testing. Preferably, students have followed an introductory course in econometrics at the graduate level, but students who completed a course in statistics or advanced research methods are also considered. Students should be familiar with a statistical package, preferably Stata. Alongside this, students have a background in standard microeconomics.

Course aim

The key objective of the course is to learn student how to empirically evaluate the effectiveness of public policies in the fields of health, labor and education. After the course students should be able to (i) decide about the appropriate econometric method, (ii) apply this method to data, (iii) properly interpret the estimation results within the institutional context of the public policy that is evaluated and (iv) obtain a broader picture on the current effectiveness and “bang for the buck” of existing public policies.

Fee info

Fee

800 EUR, PhD and Master Students (Early Bird Fee until April 15, 2025)

Fee

1500 EUR, Academics (incl. postdocs) and Professionals (Early Bird Fee until April 15, 2025)

The course fee covers tuition, course materials, daily lunches and coffee/tea during short breaks, social event including a dinner and farewell drinks. The course fee does not include accommodation.

Interested?

When:

07 July - 11 July 2025

School:

Tinbergen Institute & Business Data Science Summer School

Institution:

Tinbergen Institute & Business Data Science

Language:

English

Credits:

3 EC

Early Bird deadline 15 April 2025 Visit school

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