More than 150 African students from 15 countries have participated in the second edition of the 'Empowering Africa Workshop', organised by the Navarra Center for International Development (NCID) of the University of Navarra together with the University of Pennsylvania and the reservation Federal Bank of Philadelphia (USA). 

The workshop has served as a connection between some of the brightest African students aspiring to do doctorate in Economics and leading researchers at area who offered them some advice on how to tap their potential and help development in their countries. 

In different sessions spread over two days, African academics participated in presentations in which leading international researchers presented how Economics can help solve real problems and effectively guide public policy. The solutions were presented from different macro and micro perspectives, taking into account disciplines such as Economics of development or Economics of health. 

The 'Empowering Africa Workshop' came about as result from the joint reflection between NCID, the University of Pennsylvania and the Bank of the reservation Federal Bank of Philadelphia to support and participate in events to motivate African students to pursue a training of postgraduate program at Economics and acquire the skills necessary to become the leaders of the future and promote the development of their countries.

Policies for the prosperity of the continent

deadline"Africa is experiencing great demographic growth that must be accompanied by policies that promote prosperity, stability and modernity on the continent in the medium and long term," said NCID's director , Luis Ravina. For this reason, the training of African university students "is a decisive issue for the countries of the continent to take advantage of its abundant potential", he said.

reservation Speakers included Jesús Fernández Villaverde, Dirk Krueger, Petra Todd, Andrew Shepard, Sara Casella, Hanbaek Lee and Ryan Zalla from the University of Pennsylvania, Thorsten Drautzburg and Benjamin Lester from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and Luis Ravina, Ignacio Campomanes and Raúl Bajo from the NCID. Also taking part in the workshop were Aissatou Ouedraogo, Christelle Zozoungbo and Kwabena Krah, three African researchers at Economics who have recently successfully completed a doctorate in the USA. 

The NCID, which is part of the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) of the University of Navarra, reinforces with this activity its international presence and the impact of its research in Africa. The partnership with the University of Pennsylvania and the Bank of the Federal reservation of Philadelphia is instrumental in helping young Africans to develop their research vocation, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.