Strasbourg Economist Stresses Need for Institutional Reform and Economic Diversification

Ahead of the XVII April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development, several of the scholars presenting have agreed to share highlights of their research and their views on the topics being addressed this year’s event.

One session, entitled ‘Management of banks and market discipline’, will feature Laurent Weill, Full Professor of Economics and Head of LaRGE Research Center at the University of Strasbourg.

Admittedly pessimistic about the economic crisis currently affecting Russia given the quality of the country’s institutions and endemic corruption, Professor Weill nevertheless sees opportunities for researchers and the role they can play.

‘The two main axes for development of the country would be how to improve institutional quality and diversification of the economy’, he said. ‘For institutional quality, researchers should investigate how it can be improved in Russia. For diversification of the economy, researchers should contribute to identifying the industries to develop in the country’.

In addition to Professor Weill, the session will feature Koen Schoors (Ghent University), Maria Semenova (HSE), Andrey Zubanov (University of Wisconsin Madison), Zuzana Fungacova (BOFIT), Veronika Belousova (HSE), Alexander Karminsky (HSE), and Ilya Kozyr (HSE).