Call for applications: 5th ACES Political Economy Summer School

The Association for Comparative Economic Studies (ACES) is pleased to accept applications for its 5th annual Summer School in Political Economy. This year's School will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal, from August 12 through 14, 2026.

Overview

The ACES Summer School in Political Economy is a multi-day workshop that offers instruction and mentorship to young scholars by experienced faculty across many relevant fields. This 3-day summer school will expose participants to cutting-edge research in political economy, economic history, and development economics, and offer students a unique opportunity to interact with mentors. Participants will receive feedback on their research ideas in focused mentoring sessions both from faculty and from other students. The school also provides an opportunity to develop networks with other young scholars interested in political economy and related subfields of economics.

Who Should Apply

ACES is inviting applications from PhD students interested in political economy, economic history, and development economics.

Faculty List

Faculty scheduled to lead sessions include Michael Callen (London 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), and Shaoda Wang (University of Chicago), with additional faculty announcements forthcoming.

Cost

There is no fee to apply to or attend the Summer School. ACES provides accommodation and at least one meal per day.

While we attempt to make funding available to help students offset travel costs, especially for students coming from low income countries, students should not apply with the expectation that travel will be funded by ACES. We encourage students to explore funding opportunities at their home institutions.  

Application Information

To apply, please submit a two-page research outline on a specific topic and a CV to Brian Deutsch, Coordinator of Membership Services, at briandeutsch@pitt.edu. The deadline is April 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST; applications received after the deadline will not be considered. 

Questions?

For questions or concerns please contact Brian Deutsch, Coordinator for Membership Services, at briandeutsch@pitt.edu.