The programme covered four core areas: Mathematical Economics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Statistics and Econometrics. Across four 90-minute sessions each day, students engaged with lectures and exercises, complemented by dedicated sessions to review course material and assignments.
Building the foundations for PhD-level economics
The programme’s goal is to equip students with a stronger command of the basic tools of mathematical economics and statistics and the ability to apply them to microeconomic and macroeconomic problems. For participants preparing to enter a PhD programme, the summer school therefore offers an opportunity to strengthen their academic foundations before embarking on their doctoral studies.
“The summer school has grown significantly since its first edition in 2024, and this year’s programme is a reflection of that development. We have welcomed a diverse group of talented students and continued to strengthen the academic programme, while maintaining our central aim of helping students build the foundations they need for PhD-level study in economics," explained Professor Russel Cooper. "For the Department, ‘The Core’ is also an important opportunity to share our academic environment with the next generation of economists and to make the EUI a welcoming starting point for their research careers. I am particularly pleased to see the summer school becoming an established part of the Department’s commitment to supporting talented students from across Europe and beyond.”
Alongside faculty supervision, the courses were taught by advanced EUI PhD researchers who have served as teaching assistants throughout their time in the Department of Economics. Their involvement provided participants with the opportunity to benefit from both faculty expertise and the experience of researchers who are themselves navigating doctoral-level study.
As Lei Wu, 3rd year PhD student, teaching the statistics and econometrics sessions stated: “What I found particularly rewarding to teaching at this year’s Summer School was the opportunity to work with a highly motivated and diverse group of participants. I hope participants have strengthened both their command of the fundamental analytical tools and their confidence in applying them to economic problems”.
An international community of future economists
The 18 participants brought diverse backgrounds and perspectives to the programme, contributing to the exchange of ideas that is central to the summer school experience.
Among the participants, nine will continue their studies in the EUI Master of Research in Economics, while three will proceed to the EUI PhD programme. For them, the summer school also provided an opportunity to become familiar with the academic environment and community they will join for their next stage of study.
Supporting students from Widening Countries
The summer school is funded by the EUI Widening Europe Programme, which is backed by contributions from the European Union and EUI Contracting States. The initiative aims to strengthen internationalisation, competitiveness, and research quality in Widening Countries, contributing to a more cohesive European Higher Education and Research Area.
The programme targets students from Widening Countries both within and outside the European Union. EU countries covered by the initiative include Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Outside the EU, the programme covers Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Moldova, and Ukraine.
By providing additional academic preparation and bringing together students from across the Widening region, ‘The Core’ contributes to the EUI’s broader efforts to promote access to high-quality research training and foster a more connected European academic community.
Giullia-Elena Neagu from Romania will start a PhD at the EUI. Reflecting on the experience, she highlighted both the academic and international dimensions of the programme: “Participating in ‘The Core’ Summer School has been a very enriching experience. The classes were well-structured, combining theoretical knowledge with practical skills while allowing us to learn from the lecturers’ expertise. The diversity of the participants also enriched the programme, fostering meaningful academic dialogue and the exchange of different perspectives.”
For Giullia-Elena, the summer school also offered an opportunity to deepen her understanding of economics and gain new perspectives that she will carry forward into her academic and professional journey: “Overall, the summer school has further deepened my knowledge of economics and has given me new perspectives on microeconomics that I will carry forward in my academic and professional journey.”
As the third edition of the summer school concludes, ‘The Core’ continues to offer students an opportunity to strengthen the knowledge and skills needed for the next stage of their academic careers.