International Economics and Sustainable Development

• This MSc in Groningen is unique because of its international perspective, reflected both in its content and student community. You delve into a wide range of topics, all highly relevant to our society, you study linkages between industries across borders and you will work in project teams with students from different countries.

• Our graduates pursue various career paths. You may work in the private sector, government agencies, international organizations, research institutions, or consulting firms, focusing on international trade, climate change, international finance, policy analysis, and more.
• Explore the ethical dilemmas and consequences associated with international economics and sustainable development, including issues related to sustainability, social justice, and human rights. You will address global challenges and topics that are related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and work towards solutions to make a positive change.
• We take an interdisciplinary approach, integrating economics, environmental research, policy analysis, and technological developments. This broad perspective prepares you to tackle complex and real-world problems.
• Our academic staff have strong relationships with international research and consultancy institutes, as well as policy advice centers. We invite industry experts regularly to give guest lectures and show you how what you study can make an impact.
• The programme has been internationally accredited by the AACSB and EQUIS, ensuring a high-quality education, which only 1% of universities reach worldwide.
• Our alumni have the opportunity to engage in high-level research activities of international organizations (such as the OECD in Paris, Conference Board in New York, and the ILO in Geneva) and national organizations (such as the Dutch Central Bank and The Netherlands' Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis).

In the MSc International Economics and Sustainable Development, you will acquire a diverse set of skills that will prepare you for a wide range of careers in both the public and private sectors. As an economist, you will be able to analyze economic data, conduct research, and use economic models to understand and evaluate economic trends, policies, and development strategies. What's more, you will have an understanding of international economic dynamics and how they affect inequality but also environmental economics and sustainability. This knowledge and skills are needed to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our society today.

Graduates of this MSc programme take up positions in internationally oriented firms (such as banks, consultancy firms, and multinationals), international organizations (such as World Bank, IMF, European Union, UN, and OECD), and internationally oriented departments of government agencies and policy advisors.

Our research-driven education is strongly rooted in business practice and society. At the heart of our teaching approach is (interdisciplinary) research and in collaboration with external partners, students, and professors conduct projects on societally relevant topics such as healthy society and the economics of healthcare systems, digitalization, and how AI is shaping business and societies, leadership and governance, future prosperity and sustainability, climate change and how to tackle the shift to renewable energy. From day one of your degree, we are about making a real impact. The teachers in this programme are all active researchers in the Global Economics and Management research group, in the area of international economics, and several of them collaborate with the renowned Groningen Growth and Development Centre . The following (full) professors teach in the MSc International Economics and Sustainable Development:

Milena Nikolova is the Aletta Jacobs Professor in the Economics of Well-being. She is an expert on the health and well-being consequences of migration, labor market arrangements, and entrepreneurship. In addition to science, she is actively engaged in public policy and making a societal impact – she has worked in tanks and international institutions, such as the Urban Institute, the Brookings Institution, and the World Bank.

Steven Brakman is an expert in the field of economic geography, including as co-editor of the Journal of Regional Science . He frequently contributes to the public debate, including on Brexit, Trump’s trade war, and trade agreements. He has published extensively and authored textbooks on international economics and economic geography.

Dirk Bezemer studies the interaction between the financial system and the rest of the economy, focusing on the role of debt. His research is published in numerous journals and he has been funded by the Institute of New Economic Thinking . He is also a columnist in the Dutch periodical De Groene Amsterdammer .

Bart Los ’ area of expertise is on the interlinked nature of (regional) economies and the impact of such linkages on trade patterns and economic outcomes, such as economic growth and employment. He has published widely, is the editor of Economic Systems Research , and has contributed to the public debate on the consequences of Brexit.

Robert Inklaar ’s research is on the causes and consequences of productivity growth, including the impact on broader welfare. His research has appeared in a range of top economic journals and his work on developing the Penn World Table and Maddison Project Database is used extensively around the world.

Erik Dietzenbacher is an authority in the field of input-output analysis, including as president of the International Input-Output Association . His research has improved the tools for input-output analysis and these have been applied in such areas as international trade and environmental economics.

Harry Garretsen combines research in international economics with research on management and leadership. In this latter role, he is one of the directors of the LEAD centre of expertise. He is also a sought-after expert, including on the Bankraad, the advisory board of the Dutch Central Bank.