Urbino Summer School “Economic Growth and Development: Roots and New challenges”

Urbino Summer School: “Economic Growth and Development: Roots and New challenges”

July 7–11, 2025

Department of Economics, Society, Politics, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Palazzo Battiferri Via Saffi 42, 61029 Urbino PU, Italy

Aims
Research on economic growth and development has evolved along parallel trajectories for decades, with increasing overlap and interplay over time. Key areas of shared interest include patterns and factors of income convergence, the role of institutions, drivers and barriers to economic take-off, the causes and effects of growth spikes and spells, and the uneven distribution of growth outcomes.
In today’s increasingly interconnected world, globalisation, technological advancement, and financialisation are recognised as pivotal forces shaping economic development. However, the impact of these forces is profoundly influenced by the institutional frameworks governing economies. These frameworks encompass rules related to levels of government, the functioning of internal markets, and the allocation of production factors and income distribution.
The ongoing processes of growth and development face a range of challenges. Developed economies grapple with productivity stagnation, middle-income economies encounter growth traps, and low-income countries continue to struggle with poverty. Addressing these challenges demands for researchers to build expertise in a broad spectrum of topics related to economic growth and development. First, economic take-off and sustained development are driven by self-reinforcing mechanisms, such as entrepreneurship and investment. These mechanisms have macroeconomic impacts that are challenging to pinpoint and are shaped by the evolving structure of product and factor markets. Second, understanding how institutional factors—ranging from government types to policy instruments—affect the growth impacts of capitalist development drivers is essential.
Building on these pillars, the aim of the Summer School is to bridge theoretical and applied research in economic growth and development. The initiative is designed to engage PhD students and early-career researchers through a comprehensive program of lectures on theoretical and empirical topics. Each morning will feature keynote lectures delivered by leading scholars in the field, while afternoons will be dedicated to practical, hands-on sessions, such as data analysis workshops and modeling labs.
Although broad in scope, the program will focus on themes such as the role of entrepreneurship, investment, and market structure in economic growth; the impact of institutional change on economic take-off and sustained development; and the interplay between taxation, public debt, financial markets, and economic development.
The Summer School is conceived to foster meaningful collaboration between senior and junior researchers in a friendly and informal setting.
Keynote speakers/lecturers
Pietro Peretto (Duke University, USA)
Markus Eberhadt (University of Nottingham, UK)
Andrea Filippo Presbitero (International Monetary Fund)

Outcome
Advancing knowledge in academic literature and policymaking to address the world’s next challenges through theoretical insights, empirical evidence, and the application of innovative analytical methods

Scientific Committee
Katsufumi Fukuda (School of Global Studies, Chukyo University, Japan)
Maurizio Iacopetta (SKEMA Business School, Nice, France)
Antonio Minniti (Department of Economics, University of Bologna, Italy)
Carmelo Parello (Department of Economics and Law, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy)
Francesco Venturini (Department of Economics, Society, and Politics; University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Italy)

Organising Committee
INFER – International Network for Economic Research
Agnieszka Gehringer
Galina Kolev
Ioannis Kostakis
Dimitrios Paparas

Enrolment fee
A registration fee of 350 euros is required to attend the Summer School. This fee includes meals, coffee breaks at the conference venue, and one social dinner. Participants are expected to attend the full week of lectures

School venue
The Summer School will take place in Urbino, one of the most significant cultural centers of the Italian Renaissance and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Lectures will be held at Palazzo Battiferri, a historic 17th-century building equipped with modern academic facilities, including classrooms, study rooms, a library, and high-speed Wi-Fi

Web site

Urbino Summer School “Economic Growth and Development: Roots and New challenges”

Contact information
Francesco Venturini (francesco.venturini@uniurb.it)

Applications should include a CV and be submitted to the following mail address:
Antonio Minniti (antonio.minniti@unibo.it)

Application submission Opening:
January 22th, 2025

Application submission Deadline:
April 15th, 2025

TRAVEL INFORMATION
Urbino is a city in central Italy, located about 200 km northeast of Rome. It can be reached by car or public transportation.

o By car:
A14 Highway:
– From the North: Exit at Pesaro-Urbino > SS. 746 (∼35 km)
– From the South: Exit at Fano > SS. 73bis (∼45 km)

Below are some suggested parking options, their prices, and distances from the University. The complete list (and related information) is available on the Urbino Municipality website https://www.urbinoservizi.it/servizio/pargheggi-a-urbino/ . Parking can be managed through the EasyPark app.

o If You Are Traveling by Public Transportation:
• By Train:
You can reach Urbino by taking a train to Pesaro railway station, then continuing by bus (recommended) or taxi. The public bus service is operated by Adriabus, with departures every 30 minutes (on the hour and at half past).

– To travel from Pesaro to Urbino, take the Green Line.
– To travel from Urbino to Pesaro, take the Red Line.

The journey from Pesaro (Pesaro Station) to Urbino (Urbino S. Lucia Park) takes about 55 minutes, and the ticket costs €3.90. Alternatively, the same route can be covered by taxi (pre-booking recommended) in approximately 45 minutes.

Train Tickets: http://www.trenitalia.com/
Bus Tickets: https://www.adriabus.eu/

How to Purchase Tickets:
– Use the Adriabus or MOONEYGO apps.
– On the bus (with coins only, no change provided).
– At Pesaro railway station.
– On the Trenitalia website.

• Taxi Services:
– Pesaro: https://www.comune.pesaro.pu.it/viabilitaemobilita/auto-camper-moto/taxi/
– Urbino: https://www.comune.urbino.pu.it/amministrazione/settori/polizia-municipale-e-amministrativa-servizi-demografici/servizio-taxi

• By Air:
Urbino is accessible from the airports of Ancona, Rimini, Bologna, and Rome. The closest airport is Ancona (∼87 km). The nearest international airport is Bologna (∼178 km).

From Bologna Airport, take the People Mover to Bologna Central Station (10 minutes), then a train to Pesaro (1 hour 40 minutes).
From Ancona Airport or Rimini Airport, take a shuttle bus to the railway station (quick connections every 15 minutes in both cases) and then a train to Pesaro.
From Rome Airport (Fiumicino), take a train to Roma Termini station (frequent and fast connections) and then a train from Roma Termini to Ancona and Pesaro.

In all cases, the journey from Pesaro to Urbino must be completed by bus or taxi.

Additional Information:
You can purchase an integrated train and bus ticket for Urbino via Freccialink directly on the Trenitalia website_ https://www.trenitalia.com/it. Simply enter your departure city and Urbino as your final destination to buy the ticket.

How to Reach Palazzo Battiferri:
If arriving from Pesaro station by bus, the closest stop is Urbino S. Lucia. Once you arrive at the bus terminal, take the elevator to the historic center (up to the 6th floor) and then another elevator to the 10th floor. Exit the shopping center, and you will find yourself at Porta Santa Lucia, just a 15-minute walk from the University. Follow this route: https://shorturl.at/sNTY7.