May 30 - June 2, 2025 | 14:00 | More 54

PhD LECTURE SERIES

Innovative Approaches in Development Economics: Methods and Applications

 Health & Education

Kate Rich and Volker Schoer (Wits University,Johannesburg) 

Session 1

Friday, May 30, 14:00 - 17:00

The Friday lecture (2-5 PM) will consist of an overview of the WITS professors' respective research areas, with K. Rich focusing on health and V. Schoer on education, framed within the context of South Africa’s deep and persistent inequality. This session will explore how the academic community has responded to aspects of South Africa’s health and education crises, offering both insights and a critical reflection on the effectiveness of these responses.

Session 2

Monday, June 2, 14:00 - 17:00

Building on this foundation, the second Monday session (2-5 PM) will be more interactive and centred on how researchers can contribute to evidence-based policymaking. K. Rich and V. Schoer will discuss the different types of policy-relevant research and the challenges associated with engaging policymakers. PhD students will be invited to present and reflect on their own research: how it might inform policy, the potential relevance of their findings, and the obstacles they foresee in such engagements. Even for those whose current work is not directly aimed at policy influence, this session aims to support longer-term thinking about how to engage meaningfully with policy in the future. 

Participation is free but registration is mandatory. 

For more information, please contact Prof. Vincent Vandenberghe