Why does a doctor's visit cost what it does? Why do some jobs pay more than others? Microeconomics, one of our DEDP MicroMasters courses with MIT Open Learning, looks at how people, firms, and governments make the choices that shape everyday costs and outcomes. Enroll now: https://bit.ly/4pO62Dg

Over the past few months, we've explored five challenges shaping financial inclusion in Africa: → AI and access to finance → Venture ecosystems → Entrepreneurship → Currency risk → Agricultural finance Explore the full series ↓ povertyactionlab.org/blog?region=...

Reaching students in remote places, during a crisis, or when roads are blocked isn’t easy. How can phones help? Policy Manager Jess Williams unpacks what the evidence tells us about using mobile phones to deliver education programs. Learn more: www.povertyactionlab.org/policy-insig...

Some of the world's biggest challenges, from climate change to public health, require more than good intentions. The DEDP MicroMasters equips learners with the tools to analyze real policy questions using data and economics. 🔗 Earn a MicroMasters credential today: https://bit.ly/4fCDtq4

Many migrant garment workers in India rely on employer-provided hostels. Researchers tested whether better housing could improve worker well-being. The hostels became cleaner and safer. But workers who had been promised bigger improvements reported lower satisfaction https://bit.ly/4z1tLFx

Want to build skills in data-driven decision-making and evidence-based policy? Join J-PAL’s live DEDP webinar on August 26, 2026, 9–10 am EDT to explore the MITx MicroMasters program, hear what to expect in the upcoming term. 🔗 Register here: www.povertyactionlab.org/event/dedp-w... .

AI is already reshaping education, health systems, governments, and labor markets. In J-PAL's AI for Social Good series, we explore what we're learning about using AI to improve lives, and the evidence needed to shape its impact. povertyactionlab.org/blog?region=...

In a pandemic, information is everywhere. Attention is not. During COVID-19, a study in West Bengal showed that health advice, delivered by a trusted public figure, cut through the noise and changed behavior, reaching 32 million people. Read more: https://bit.ly/3TMNgkK

We're hiring a Senior Policy Manager in Zurich to manage high-level partnerships and work directly with Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee & Esther Duflo. 🇨🇭 Learn more and apply by August 16: https://bit.ly/4vEUXGX

Which impact evaluation method is most rigorous? It’s a common question, but not always the most useful one. A more practical question is: 👉 Are the assumptions behind this method likely to hold in this context? www.povertyactionlab.org/blog/6-17-26...

What prevents farmers from buying fertilizers in Côte d'Ivoire? It's rarely availability. New baseline findings from UJALA's evaluation reveal the real barriers: distance to markets, liquidity constraints, and climate concerns. www.povertyactionlab.org/event/unders...

Climate solutions exist. The challenge is helping governments adapt, test, and scale them. At #LCAW2026, J-PAL's Air & Water Labs shared lessons from long-term partnerships with governments. 🌍https://www.povertyactionlab.org/blog/7-10-26/using-research-insights-build-climate-resilience-governments

Big news! 🏛️⚡️ We’re welcoming The George Washington University to the ADEPT network! Through this collaboration, MITx DEDP learners can now fast-track their M.S. in Applied Economics at GWU, saving up to 20% on tuition. 📈 Details here: https://bit.ly/3TnFk9m

World Bank Development Data Partnership and MITx MicroMasters | Department of Economics | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences | The George Washington University

In November 2022, GW’s Department of Economics became a pathway program with The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s MITx MicroMasters® Program.

bit.ly

The International Development Economics Association (IDEA) is now live! Open to all development economists, with particular attention to scholars in low- and middle-income countries. Join by signing up at idea.devecon.org

International Development Economics Association

IDEA is a global professional association advancing inclusive, rigorous research in development economics.

idea.devecon.org

International Development Economics Association@ideadevecon.bsky.social · last mo.

Welcome to IDEA!

Not just accessing evidence, but knowing how to use it. That's the challenge many practitioners face in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, and it's what brought J-PAL together with IPA, the World Bank, and IRC at #FragilityForum2026. A few glimpses 👇

We’ll be at #LCAW2026 with colleagues across Africa, Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia. As climate risks intensify, the real question isn’t just what works, but how evidence gets translated into decisions and scaled within governments. Learn more about this work: j-p.al/air-water-labs

📢 Join J-PAL Global as a Senior Training Associate at MIT in Cambridge, MA! 💡 In this role, you will create teaching materials, support training courses, and collaborate with global partners to advance evidence-informed policy. 🔗 Learn more and apply: https://bit.ly/4dzzLex

Congratulations to the DEDP Class of 2025 on graduating from MIT! 🎓 Learn more about the DEDP master’s program at MIT: https://economics.mit.edu/academic-programs/masters-programs/master-data-economics-and-design-policy-dedp

📢 Join our team! J-PAL Global is recruiting a Senior Training Associate to help policymakers, researchers, and practitioners conduct rigorous impact evaluations. 📍 Based at MIT, Cambridge, MA. Apply by June 15: https://bit.ly/4dzzLex

Floods are a regular risk for farmers in Bangladesh. 🇧🇩 New evidence from Bangladesh shows that flexible loans helped farmers manage the risk from floods. Read more: https://www.povertyactionlab.org/evaluation/protecting-agricultural-households-against-floods-through-flexible-microfinance

Protecting Agricultural Households Against Floods Through Flexible Microfinance in Bangladesh | The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab

Floods are an extremely destructive and increasingly common threat to rural agricultural households in countries without strong social safety nets. Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation to stu...

povertyactionlab.org

What if students, not teachers, set the rules for classroom behavior? A randomized study across 127 middle schools in Bangladesh finds that it improves classroom climate and academic performance, with gains persisting 1.5 years later. 🔗 https://www.nber.org/papers/w35160

Adolescent Behavior, Learning, and Knowledge Diffusion: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment

Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...

nber.org

📢 We are recruiting a Senior Training Associate to equip policymakers, researchers, and practitioners with the tools to conduct rigorous impact evaluations. 📍 Based at MIT in Cambridge, MA. Apply by June 15: https://bit.ly/4dzzLex

Senior Training Associate - J-PAL Global | The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,100 researchers at universities around the world, J-...

povertyactionlab.org

Who should decide who gets rewarded at work? Managers or co-workers? A firm-level randomized evaluation in India finds workplace democracy boosts attendance, but managerial discretion drives productivity. What you reward shapes workplace culture. 🔗 https://www.nber.org/papers/w35138

Power to the Personnel? The Impacts of Managerial Discretion vs. Worker Democracy in Employee Recognition

Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...

nber.org

Exchange rates can shape development more than we think. New on @voxdev.bsky.social why currency risk sits at the crossroads of international finance and development. https://voxdev.org/topic/finance/where-international-finance-meets-development-role-currency-risk

Where international finance meets development: The role of currency risk

Currency volatility in African markets shapes development outcomes by determining who can access capital and on what terms, with firms in shallow financial markets often forced to choose between expen...

voxdev.org

What will it take to close Africa's finance gap? Our new blog series explores 5 priority areas for inclusive finance, from AI-driven credit to currency risk. 🧵 https://www.povertyactionlab.org/blog?region=All&sector=388&topic=All

🚀 18.8 million households now receive digital food vouchers in Indonesia 🇮🇩 The Government of Indonesia & J-PAL SEA scaled Program Sembako, improving how aid reached those who needed it most and reducing admin costs. https://bit.ly/4tmJQ4v

💡 Curious about how to measure the impact of programs? Learn to design and implement evaluations in Designing and Running Randomized Evaluations. This course provides training on designing rigorous, policy-relevant studies. Enroll for free today: https://bit.ly/3RhFRbU

📚NEW COURSE: Want to understand how econ shapes policy & society? Join us for Frontiers of Applied Economics, a DEDP MicroMasters course taught by MIT profs. You’ll explore how econ theories can address psychology and economics, labor practices, and more. Enroll today: https://bit.ly/3P12CjC

💡Curious about how data analysis can address real-world challenges? Enroll in Data Analysis for Social Scientists. Over 11 weeks, you’ll learn to analyze and communicate data effectively. Free to audit, with certificate options available. Enroll today: https://bit.ly/3uHWDCX

💡How do political institutions shape economic development? In Political Economy and Economic Development, explore key topics like voting, and the role of media. The course is free to audit and provides tools to understand the connections between politics and econ. Enroll now: https://bit.ly/4tI9CBi