With the aim of strengthening and advancing empirical economic research, the rector of the Dresden University of Technology, Professor Hermann Kokenge, and the President of the Ifo Institute for Economic Research, Professor Hans-Werner Sinn, have signed, in the presence of Saxony’s Minister President, Professor Georg Milbradt, a co-operation agreement.
With this co-operation agreement, which seals the co-operation in the coming years, the Dresden University of Technology has again demonstrated its aspiration to practice-related research and teaching.
Minister President Georg Milbradt stressed, in his words of greeting: “I am pleased to place on a contractual foundation the already successful co-operation between the Dresden subsidiary of the Ifo Institute for Economic Research and the Dresden University of Technology. The university has gained a competent and nationally acclaimed research partner. The networking of our up-and-coming academics at the university with the rich experience of the Ifo Institute will open up new intellectual channels in the field of empirical economic research. The knowledge generated by this co-operation will help fuel the further development of Saxony. In this way not only our state but also our partners in industry will profit. Saxony is thus safeguarding its leading position in the field of top research.”
Common research projects as well as close co-operation for the promotion of junior researchers are planned within the framework of the co-operation. Among other things, the University of Technology and the Ifo Institute will conduct joint studies on demographic change and on the development of the labour market.
Milbradt stated that he expects further important impulses for dealing with demographic change. Chairperson of the expert commission appointed by the Minister President is Professor Marcel Thum, head of the Ifo Dresden subsidiary. The commission report was presented at the second conference on demographics in Saxony in Dresden on 8 November.
The rector of the University of Technology, Professor Hermann Kokenge, referred to the agreement as the foundation for further and hopefully even closer co-operation between the two institutions: “We aim to intensify co-operation in the field of research and policy advice in order to best utilise the entire spectrum of available know-how in Dresden.”
Excellent opportunities will be offered to students and junior researchers to work on practice-relevant topics from this co-operation. Doctoral theses at the University of Technology can be linked with collaboration on projects of the Ifo Institute. In the words of Professor Alexander Karmann, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, the co-operation will help bridge the gap between theory and practice in research and teaching: “The co-operation with the Ifo Institute offers outstanding opportunities to link theory and practice in economic science. This will be particularly important in MA programmes. Some of our students can become acquainted with the practice of economic research as interns at the Ifo Institute. In policy advice, the competence of the Ifo Institute and the faculty of economics supplement each other.
Instrumental in establishing the close co-operation between the Ifo Institute for Economic Research and the Dresden University of Technology was Professor Marcel Thum, who holds the Chair in Economics for Public Finance at the Dresden University of Technology and is also head of the Dresden subsidiary of the Ifo Institute.
Contact:
Ifo Dresden Kartin Behm Tel. +49-351-2 64 76-12 Fax: +49-351-2 64 76-20 E-mail: behm@ifo.de
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