Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has enjoyed an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative center of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Belonging to the best research universities of Europe and joining forces with prestigious partner universities and networks, the University of Groningen is truly an international place of knowledge.
Faculty of Economics and Business
The Faculty of Economics and Business offers an inspiring study and working environment for students and employees. International accreditation enables the Faculty to assess performance against the highest international standards. It also creates an exciting environment of continuous improvement. FEB's programmes, academic staff and research do well on various excellence ranking lists.
FEBRI, the graduate school and research institute of the Faculty of Economics and Business has one Ph D position “Migration and Human Capital” available.
Project description
Migration and human capital are critical factors shaping socioeconomic transformations in the world. This Ph D project aims to employ (quasi-)experimental methods to investigate these dynamics through the lens of development economics.
In collaboration with the German Development Bank (Kf W) and local authorities, a major focus of the Ph D project consists of the impact evaluation of Perspectivas, a program that supports the successful reintegration of thousands of migrant returnees in Central America. These returnees often bring a diverse set of skills, making them potentially valuable contributors to the economies of their origin communities. However, they may face significant obstacles upon their return, such as limited employment prospects, disrupted social ties, and stigma. To address these issues, Perspectivas will implement active labour market policies such as skills training, job search assistance, and psychosocial care. The Ph D project seeks to understand the socioeconomic conditions and challenges faced by migrant returnees. By applying (quasi-)experimental methods, researchers will rigorously assess the causal effects of active labor market policies on the productive reintegration of returnees.
Beyond the impact evaluation, the Ph D project envisions broader analyses delving into the role of human capital and migration in economic development. Overall, the research will provide valuable evidence on human capital dynamics in the migration context and the effectiveness of migration policies, thereby informing practitioners and contributing to the economics literature.
The Ph D position is embedded in the research programme Global Economics & Management of FEB’s Research Institute. The project will be supervised by Assistant Professor Dr Marcello Perez.