Why choose our program?

We want our students to make a lasting impact on the world and on economic research. What sets the ASP apart is not only its emphasis on international economics but also its combination of internal and external lecturers. Key methodological skills will be taught at graduate-level curriculum of macroeconomics, microeconomics and econometrics courses. This core training will be supplemented by a dozen “advanced studies courses” that are taught by world-renowned professors from the best universities across the world. Our external lecturers are leaders in their field and work on exciting, relevant research. By taking courses with them, our PhD students will receive feedback from the very best and experience the research frontier in international economics first-hand.

We admit only a small cohort of 4 to 5 students per year, so that we offer an excellent student-to-professor ratio and can properly train and supervise students. Our aim is to ideally prepare students for the international job market for economist, so that they get offers for research jobs at top universities around the world or at the world’s leading policy institutions that conduct serious research, such as the Federal Reserve Bank or the IMF. To achieve this, we want our students to work in a collegial and supportive atmosphere. You will also have the opportunity to interact with over 25 current PhD students at the Kiel Institute, all of whom share an enthusiasm for research on topics in international economics. We value transparency, fairness, and a constructive exchange of ideas. We particularly encourage women to apply and aim for at least 50% female students.