Spring 2024 Call for Participation: Live-Streamed Courses in Economics
The University of Central Asia's (UCA) Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA), in cooperation with the Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education's Economics Institute (CERGE-EI) Foundation, invites all master level students, faculty members, applied researchers, and other interested individuals from Central Asian institutions to participate in a live-streamed economics course starting in March 2024. Courses will be delivered online from CERGE-EI’s Digital Media Center in Prague and coordinated by UCA IPPA from Kazakhstan to allow live streaming to multiple locations.
Costs and Tuition Fees
Courses are offered free of charge to course participants.
Language
The language of instruction for all courses offered by the CERGE-EI Foundation is English. However, we allow for flexibility in using native languages when delivering exercise sessions by local instructors.
Course Schedule
In Spring 2024, courses will be offered on Climate Change Economics, Development Economics, Introduction to Data Science, Behavioral Economics, and Econometrics in a Nutshell. All courses will be conducted in 6-week modules, with the final exam scheduled for Week 7 and the make-up exam scheduled for Week 8. Participants who successfully complete courses will be awarded CERGE-EI Foundation certificates.
Admission Requirements
The program is intensive and rigorous, advanced BA/introductory MA level of Economics knowledge is required. Participants should expect to be challenged and should be able to demonstrate self-motivation. UCA reserves the right to select only those applicants that it believes to have the necessary qualifications and experience to succeed. All courses will require the active participation of all students. Teachers will utilize modern technology to engage students, encourage their active involvement in the course work and class discussions.
Registration
The number of places is limited. To register for a course, please fill in the registration form until February 22, 2024, following the link below:
Part 1: Climate Change Economics, Development Economics, Introduction to Data Science
- Classes: March 4 – April 12, 2024
- Final exam week: April 15 – 19, 2024
- Make-up Exam Week: April 22 – 26, 2024
Climate Change Economics
Brief description: Energy is a basic necessity of daily life and a vital input to industry in any society around the world. New technologies, especially renewable power generators such as wind and solar are changing the industry. Also, new climate policies have a growing influence on the economics and practical functioning of the energy systems, especially the electricity industry. Firstly, the course aims to give a deeper theoretical insight into economic externalities (such as global warming). A number of classical economic instruments are presented, such as Pigovean taxes, cap-and-trade programs, subsidies, and mandates. The theory addressed has broad applications, also in the field of public finance and public policy. Secondly, the course gives an overview of the economics of new potential decarbonization technologies, such as hydrogen, heat pumps, electric cars, and gas as a transition fuel. Thirdly, the most recent decarbonization developments will be discussed.
Prerequisites: Microeconomics, specifically the topics of consumption, production, supply & demand.
Main instructor: Silvester van Koten, Ph.D.
Silvester is an economist specializing in Economics Experiments and Energy Economics with a special interest in the economics of regulation, market design and energy markets. He holds a Ph.D. in economics (from CERGE-EI) and a MA in Psychology (Utrecht University). Presently, Silvester is a senior researcher at the Department of Economics at the Jan Evangelista Purkyně University, and a research associate at CERGE-EI in Prague. Silvester’s current research appraises the effect of the structure of spot market prices on the forward premium in electricity markets and the effectiveness of self-regulating organizations using theory, computer simulations and economics experiments. In previous research, Silvester analyzed the effects of more transparent financial markets on competition and prices in the EU electricity markets. His work was published in journals such as Energy Economics, Energy Policy, European Economic Review and the Journal of Regulatory Economics.
Teaching assistant: Madina Junussova
Madina Junussova is a Senior Research Fellow at UCA's Institute of Public Policy and Administration and a CERGE-EI Foundation Teaching Fellow. She is a member of the International Public Policy Association and the International Society of City and Regional Planners (Isocarp). Dr. Junussova holds a PhD in Public Policy from Carleton University and degrees in architecture, urban and regional planning awarded by the Ministry of Education and Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Dates: Classes: March 4 – April 12, 2024; Final exam week: April 15 – 19, 2024; Make-up exam week: April 22 – 26, 2024.
Development Economics
Brief description: The goal of this course is to expose students to the newest developments in applied microeconomic research in development economics, particularly policy-oriented research. The topics covered will be especially close to the research agenda of the recent Nobel Prize Winners in Economics: Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, and Michael Kremer. A further focus of the course is on the study of infrastructure, firms, and labor markets in developing countries. Overall, the course offers a thorough understanding of current-day research in development, with a special angle on poverty reduction and private market policies. The goal is to enable students to identify promising research questions in these fields (e.g. for future studies), and to help students prepare for a career as a practitioner in government and nongovernment development organizations.
Prerequisites: Microeconomics and Macroeconomics at introductory level
Main instructor: Martina Miotto, Ph.D.
Martina is a postdoctoral fellow at the Economic Institute (Prague). She received her PhD in Economics from the University of Warwick in 2019. Martina holds a MRes in Economics from the University of Warwick, and a MSc in Economics and Finance from the University of Padua, cum laude. Among her main research interests are Economic History and Development Economics, with a particular focus on the interconnections between the two fields. Martina is also involved in field work in the garment sector of Bangladesh.
Teaching assistant: Saniya Soltybayeva
Saniya Soltybayeva holds a Master’s degree in Local Economic Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Specialist degree in Public Administration from Lomonosov Moscow State University. Her research interests include regional and local economic development, decentralisation, human capital development, and regional innovation systems.
Dates: March 4 – April 12, 2024; Final exam week: April 15 – 19, 2024; Make-up exam week: April 22 – 26, 2024.
Time: To be determined in March 2024.
Introduction to Data Science
Brief description: This course provides an introduction to data science as a profession and focuses on the theoretical methodologies of the most widely applied machine learning models. The main topics covered include: data preparation (data mining, cleaning, and exploring strategies), statistical modeling with the application of appropriate machine learning methodologies (data segmentation, predictive analytics), and mathematical evaluation (test-train split and accuracy measures).
Prerequisites: Statistics and Econometrics at introductory levels, experience with at least one programming language for statistical data analytics (Python, R, or others).
Main instructor: Vahan Sargsyan, Ph.D.
Vahan Sargsyan is a full time Data Scientist working with big data and implementing machine learning technologies in a cloud-based computer software company. He received his Ph.D. from CERGE-EI in 2019 and also holds a Master degree in Economics from the International School of Economics at TSU, Georgia, and a Master degree in marketing from the Armenian State Agrarian University, Armenia. Vahan also held a 6-month traineeship at the European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA) in 2017-2018, where he was enrolled in data analytics and scientific evaluation of research applicants. During his Ph.D. studies, his research was focused on empirical economics, migration and labor economics, specializing in work discrimination.
Teaching assistant: Kuandyk Tleuzhanuly
Kuandyk Tleuzhanuly holds a master’s degree in public administration from KIMEP University. He is a PhD candidate in Public Administration at Narxoz University, his research interests include educational inequality, impact of socioeconomic status on academic achievement, and public policy in education.
Dates: Classes: March 4 – April 12, 2024; Final exam week: April 15 – 19, 2024; Make-up exam week: April 22 – 26, 2024.
Part 2: Behavioral Economics, Econometrics in a Nutshell
- Classes: April 29 – June 7, 2024
- Final exam week: June 10 – 14, 2024
- Make-up exam week: June 17 – 21, 2024
Behavioral Economics
Brief description: The course aims to provide students with basic knowledge in the main areas of behavioral economics by focusing on the behavioral implications of theoretical models and experimental evidence in economics. The list of topics includes bounded rationality, decision-making under risk and uncertainty, preferences, intertemporal decision-making, attention and information acquisition, and other behavioral heuristics and biases. Upon successfully completing this course, students should be able to understand the conceptual framework of behavioral economics and its tools, recognize behavioral biases, and apply insights from psychology when predicting or analyzing economic decision-making.
Prerequisites: Microeconomics, Probability theory and Statistics at an introductory level.
Main instructor: Aizhamal Rakhmetova
Aizhamal is a PhD candidate at CERGE-EI. She holds MAs in economics from both CERGE-EI and Ural Federal University. Her research interests are mainly in environmental economics, with her current research focused on the impact of climate shocks on the livelihoods of people in developing countries.
Teaching assistant: Madina Junussova, Ph.D.
Madina Junussova is a Senior Research Fellow at UCA's Institute of Public Policy and Administration and a CERGE-EI Foundation Teaching Fellow. She is a member of the International Public Policy Association and the International Society of City and Regional Planners (Isocarp). Dr. Junussova holds a PhD in Public Policy from Carleton University and degrees in architecture, urban and regional planning awarded by the Ministry of Education and Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Dates: Classes: April 29 – June 7, 2024; Final exam week: June 10 – 14, 2024; Make-up exam week: June 17 – 22, 2024.
Econometrics in a Nutshell
Brief description: The course will introduce regression analysis and cover some of the most recent econometric techniques central to modern econometric practice. Successful students will gain a deeper understanding of the material discussed in other Distance Learning Program courses. They will be up to speed with Western European students at the same education level, making them more competitive in their further studies and on the labor market. At the end of this course students will understand basic econometric concepts, basic estimation methods, and methods for testing statistical hypotheses. They will be able to apply standard methods of constructing econometric models, process statistical information, obtain statistically sound conclusions, and give meaningful interpretation to the results of the estimated econometric models. In addition, students will gain real data processing skills, using econometric packages for building and estimating econometric models in R.
Prerequisites: Introduction to Statistics.
Main Instructor: Ella Sargsyan
Ella Sargsyan is a Junior Researcher and Ph.D. candidate at CERGE-EI (Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute). She holds an M.A. in Economics from CERGE-EI and ISET. Her research interests are mainly in the field of Development Economics with her current research focused on the impact of violent conflicts on various economic, social, and political factors in developing countries. She particularly enjoys working with spatial data. Since 2016, Ella has been involved in teaching, both as a graduate teaching assistant and as an instructor of courses including Statistics, Econometrics, Development Economics, and Microeconomics. She also works with the pedagogical team of CERGE-EI’s Academic Skills Center and serves as an instructor for several pedagogical training courses for economists.
Local teaching support: Saniya Soltybayeva
Saniya Soltybayeva holds a Master’s degree in Local Economic Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Specialist degree in Public Administration from Lomonosov Moscow State University. Her research interests include regional and local economic development, decentralisation, human capital development, and regional innovation systems.
Dates: Classes: April 29 – June 7, 2024; Final exam week: June 10 – 14, 2024; Make-up exam week: June 17 – 22, 2024
About the University of Central Asia (UCA) and UCA's IPPA
The University of Central Asia (UCA) was founded in 2000 as a private, not for profit, secular university through an International Treaty signed by the Presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan, and His Highness the Aga Khan; ratified by their respective parliaments and registered with the United Nations. As a university focused on the development of mountain societies, UCA's undergraduate programmes are located at its purpose-built world class residential campuses in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan, and Khorog, Tajikistan near the Tien Shan and Pamir mountains respectively. Established in 2011, UCA's Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA) strengthens public policy making in Central Asia. It provides in-depth analysis of current and emerging policy issues facing the region and works on improving the analytical capacity of governments and civil society to use evidence-based decision-making through professional development. IPPA is part of the University of Central Asia’s Graduate School of Development.
About CERGE-EI and the CERGE-EI Foundation
The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education (CERGE) was established in 1991 in the Czech Republic to offer a western-style PhD in Economics to students from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. It subsequently formed a joint workplace with the Economics Institute (EI) of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Today, CERGE-EI offers two additional master level programs: one-year long Masters in Applied Economics and two-years long Masters in Economic Research. All faculty are western-trained, and CERGE-EI graduates receive degrees that are recognized in the EU and in the US. The CERGE-EI Foundation is a major financial supporter of CERGE-EI and, through its Teaching Fellows Program, supports western-trained economists teaching at universities across the region.
