14th Edition of the Summer School in Development Economics
June 22, 23 and 24, 2025 | Prato (Italy)
The Italian Association of Development Economists (SITES) and the Centre for Development Economics and Sustainability of Monash University organize the 14th edition of the Summer School in Development Economics.
General Information
The workshop is intended for PhD students, post‐docs and junior faculty members. The aim is to provide researchers with mentoring as well as with exposure to cutting‐edge empirical and theoretical research in development economics. Participants will have the opportunity to present their own research projects and to discuss them with leading researchers in a relaxed and constructive atmosphere.
The workshop will include presentations of both completed research papers and work‐in‐progress, both empirical and theoretical. The number of participants will be limited to about 40. About 15 will be selected for a thirty minutes presentation, thus allowing for in‐depth discussion of each contribution. About 15-20 papers will be selected for a poster session that will be in place for the whole duration of the conference. Presentations by graduate students, post‐docs and other junior researchers who have recently acquired their PhD will be key components of the workshop. Applicants can submit either a complete paper or a detailed and well‐developed research proposal. We particularly welcome the submission of work‐in‐progress proposals that describe on‐going and promising research, likely to benefit from an open discussion about the main conceptual and methodological problems related to the project. Please note that participants are expected to attend the entire conference. Participants who do not wish to present a paper are also welcome.
Program
Invited Lecturers
Dilip Mookherjee
Boston University, USA
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Christine Valente
University of Bristol, UK
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Giulia Tura
LUISS University, Italy
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Klaus Deininger
World Bank
Maria Carmela Lo Bue
University of Trieste, Italy
Olivier Bargain
University of Bordeaux, France
Marco Tiberti
World Bank
How to reach us
By air
Florence Airport is approximately 25 minutes by car or 40 minutes by bus to Prato. Taxis and regular bus services run between Prato and Florence Airport. Alternatively, there is a bus service operated by CAP bus company, located just outside the airport area on the main street.
Pisa Airport is approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes to Prato by train, or 70 minutes by Terravision bus to Firenze Santa Maria Novella Station, Florence. Note that you need to change train twice when arriving from Pisa airport to Prato.
Bologna Airport is a 30 minute bus or taxi ride to Bologna train station. From there, it is a 50 minute journey on a regional train to Prato.
Rome Airport (Leonardo Da Vinci-Fiumicino) is 45 minute train journey to Rome Termini train station and 3 hours by train to Prato.
By train
Prato is a 25 minute train ride from Florence, approximately 50 minutes from Bologna and 1.5 hours from Pisa. There are two train stations operating in Prato, Prato Centrale and Prato Porta al Serraglio. The train station closest to the Monastero San Leonardo – Villa del Palco is Prato Centrale and is a 30 minute walk or 10 minute by bus or taxi. Train timetables are available online on the Trenitalia website.
By bus
Prato can also be reached from Florence by bus, the CAP bus company operates the Prato-Florence line and departs from outside the main Florence train station. If arriving at Prato Centrale railway station, you can take the Linea 11 bus ‘Direzione Ciardi’, bus stop ‘San Bernardino’, located 150 metres from the Monastero San Leonardo – Villa del Palco. Bus information is available on the CAP website.
By taxi
Accommodation
Accommodation at Monastero San Leonardo – Villa al Palco will be covered by participation fee. Full address: Monastero di San Leonardo al Palco, via del Palco 228, 59100 – Prato.
TRAVEL COSTS ARE COVERED BY THE PARTICIPANT
Committees
Martina Menon
University of Verona
Marcello D’Amato
Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa
Federico Perali
University of Verona
Alessandro Tarozzi
EUI, Universitat Pompeu Fabra and Barcelona GSE
Giuseppe Pignataro
University of Bologna
Denni Tommasi
University of Bologna
Application
Researchers interested in participating should 1) submit a short CV (pdf file) and 2) a complete paper or a detailed research proposal (pdf file), using our online application form.
Participants who are interested in attending the workshop but do not intend to present a paper are required to fill in the application form.
The application should be submitted by April 15, 2025. Admissions decision will be announced by May 1, 2025. Applicants will be informed about the selection results by email.
The participation fee (€600 for graduate students and post‐docs, €750 for faculty) will cover the costs of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), social dinner and lodging in double or triple room for the duration of the workshop (arrival June 21 – departure June 24, 2025). Travel expenses are not covered by the participation fee.
Participants are encouraged to stay for the entire duration of the summer school. If it is not feasible, please specify the duration of the stay in the “note” field in the application form. We will give priority to participants who stay for the entire duration.
Deadline for payment of the participation fee May 31, 2025.
Best Young Researcher Prize in Honor of Sisira Jayasuriya – Eleva Winery
The Scientific Committee of the School assigns the “Eleva” Prize consisting of a Amarone Bottle of the Eleva winery in Valpolicella https://www.vinieleva.it to the best paper presented at the Summer Schools by a junior scholar
The Summer School in Development Economics owes a profound debt of gratitude to Sisira—intellectually, relationally, and institutionally. He embodied all these dimensions with natural grace and generosity, sharing them freely with all of us.
As Director of CDES at Monash University, Sisira placed his trust in the educational vision of the Summer School and became one of its most valued institutional patrons.
To all of us, Sisira was a warm, wise, ever-smiling, and deeply generous friend. The young researchers who receive this prize will find enduring inspiration in the luminous example of his life.
We are all deeply grateful.
Alumni & Personal Area
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