🇳🇵 Summer School in Nepal 🎓 ACES Political Economy Summer School 2026 📊 PhD Workshop, Kathmandu 🇳🇵
The Association for Comparative Economic Studies (ACES) is accepting applications for its 5th Annual Summer School in Political Economy, taking place in Kathmandu, Nepal. This intensive 3-day workshop brings together PhD students and world-class faculty from institutions including Yale, Stanford, LSE, and the University of Chicago for mentoring sessions, cutting-edge research exposure, and academic networking in political economy, economic history, and development economics. There is no fee to apply or attend. Accommodation and at least one meal per day are provided.
🌍 Did You Know? Kathmandu is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in South Asia, with a recorded history stretching back over 2,000 years. Surrounded by the Himalayas and home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites within the Kathmandu Valley alone, it is one of the most culturally and historically rich cities in the world — making it a uniquely inspiring setting for an international academic gathering.
What Will You Gain?
📚 Cutting-Edge Research Exposure: Attend sessions led by world-renowned faculty covering the latest developments in political economy, economic history, and development economics.
🎯 Focused Mentoring Sessions: Receive direct, personalised feedback on your own research ideas from both faculty mentors and fellow PhD students in dedicated mentoring sessions.
🤝 Academic Networking: Build meaningful professional connections with other young scholars and faculty from leading global institutions who share your interests in political economy and related subfields.
🌍 International Experience: Participate in a genuinely global academic gathering in one of South Asia's most historically significant cities, expanding your scholarly horizons well beyond your home institution.
🌍 Did You Know? Political economy — the study of how politics and economics interact to shape societies and institutions — has experienced a major renaissance in academic research over the past two decades. Pioneered by researchers at institutions like Harvard, Yale, and the LSE, the field now addresses some of the most pressing questions of our time: why do some countries develop and others don't, how do elections shape economic policy, and what role do historical institutions play in determining today's inequalities.
Faculty
👩🏫 Farzana Afridi — Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi
👨🏫 Michael Callen — London School of Economics
👨🏫 Ruben Enikolopov — Barcelona School of Economics
👨🏫 Saumitra Jha — Stanford University
👨🏫 Horacio Larreguy — Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México
👩🏫 Sara Lowes — University of California, San Diego
👩🏫 Rohini Pande — Yale University
👩🏫 Maria Petrova — Barcelona School of Economics
👨🏫 Shaoda Wang — University of Chicago
👨🏫 Jie Zhou — Yale University
➕ Additional faculty announcements forthcoming.
Who Can Apply?
🎓 PhD Students: The Summer School is open to PhD students with a research interest in political economy, economic history, and/or development economics. Applications from students at any stage of their PhD are welcome.
🌍 Open Internationally: Applications are welcomed from PhD students at institutions around the world. ACES particularly encourages applications from students coming from low-income countries.
📝 Research Outline Required: Applicants must submit a two-page research outline on a specific topic alongside their CV — demonstrating their active engagement with the relevant research fields.
Costs & Financial Support
✅ No Attendance Fee: There is no fee to apply or attend the Summer School.
🏠 Accommodation Covered: ACES provides accommodation for all accepted participants for the duration of the school.
🍽️ Meals: At least one meal per day is provided by ACES throughout the programme.
✈️ Travel Funding: ACES attempts to make some travel funding available — especially for students from low-income countries — but this cannot be guaranteed. Students should not apply with the expectation that travel costs will be covered, and are encouraged to explore funding opportunities at their home institutions.
Key Information
Application Link
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