NIESR and Woodhouse host economics conference

 

 

On the 5th December 2018, Woodhouse College held an economics conference. The event was supported by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, The Royal Economics Society, The Bank of England, The Government Economics Service, the Economics Department of the University of Bristol, Kings College London and Middlesex University

 

There were about 200 A level economists in attendance and in addition to Woodhouse students there were students present from Dame Alice Owens School, Queen Elizabeth’s School for Boys, Highgate Wood School, The Camden School for Girls and Fortismere School.

 

 

 Professor Jagjit Chadha

 

Professor Jagjit Chadha, Director of NIESR, went through an abbreviated version of his recent Brexit talk to the Commons Select Committee on Brexit. Professor Jagjit spoke about the impact of the different type of Brexit arrangements and the problem in forecasting them.

 

 

 Dr Rhiannon Sowerbutts

 

Dr Rhiannon Sowerbutts from the Bank of England spoke about the dangers of financial crises. She talked the audience through the Bank of England’s stress tests for the commercial banks – particularly important at this juncture.She reassured the conference that the high-street banks were in a strong position.

 

 

 Sarah Billingham

 

Sarah Billingham, an Assistant Economist at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, explained the impact that economists from the Government Economics Service have on public policy and the newly announced Government Economic Service Apprenticeship scheme.

 

 

 

 

 Dr Babak Samekh with Sarah Billingham and Romesh Vaitilingam 

 

Dr Babak Samekh from The University of Bristol played an auction game. Coming at the time of year when most students have either been looking at non-cooperative game theory or the economics of uncertainty it was great to have the opportunity to put some of these ideas into practice. Babak was a first-rate auctioneer. Students reported that they found it stimulating and insightful.

 

 

 Romesh Vaitilingam

 

 

 

 Dr Michela Vecchi

 

The day was concluded with Dr Lea Samek (Kings College London) and Dr Michela Vecchi (University of Middlesex). Dr Samek looked at why the UK’s productivity performance has been so poor since the Financial Crisis of 2008 while Dr Vecchi discussed the impact of automation on the UK labour market.

 

 

 

A level economics student Mikhail Kenny said,‘The day was informative and well run.I particularly enjoyed Professor Chadha’s talk on Brexit and the auction game. It was great that Woodhouse got to host such a major event with such big names from the field of economics’.

 

Woodhouse College would particularly like to thank NIESR for their kind help in organising the day.