Events for October 3 - March 4, 2022

Tips for Writing a Good and Fundable Research Proposal in Economics Good research begins with a good research idea that has clear and significant value addition. Developing such an idea in a concise and coherent manner in a research proposal worthy of attracting support requires some expertise. This webinar aims at highlighting critical but often overlooked ingredients that distinguish a strong research proposal from a weak one. The webinar will cover items such as how to choose a research topic, what goes into writing a good introduction, stating a research problem and research objectives, identifying the relevant literature, choosing appropriate methodology, [...]

Access to electricity leads to enhanced agriculture, business, education, health, water and sanitation, and overall economic growth and the improvement in the quality of life; yet more than 600 million people lack electricity. Africa needs to accelerate electrification while mitigating against, and adapting to, climate change. The considerable untapped renewable energy potential and their rapid cost reductions hold promise for a massive roll out of sustainable electricity on the continent. However, knowledge on effective policies, interventions, and investment models remains limited while data that would aid planning and investment is inaccessible and scattered. Accelerating sustainable electricity in Africa therefore also requires [...]

PANELISTS 1: Dr. Byela Tibesigwa, Senior Research Fellow at Environment for Development-Tanzania (EfD-T) at the University of Dar es Salaam. She is a council member of AFAERE and member of Ecosystem Service Accounting for Development (ESAfD) and AGRODEP PANELISTS 2: Prof. Richard Mulwa, Centre Director and Senior Research Fellow at Environment for Development-Kenya (EfD-K) at the University of Nairobi. He is a member of AFAERE and Secretary General of ASEE. He is a member of Ecosystem Service Accounting for Development (ESAfD) PANELISTS 3: Dr. Dawit Woubishet, Research Fellow at Environment and Climate Research Center (ECRC) i.e. EfD-Ethiopia. Member of Ecosystem Service [...]

Almost without exception, everything we undertake involves a choice. In recent years there has been a growing interest in the development and application of quantitative statistical methods to study choices made by individuals or groups with the purpose of gaining a better understanding both of how choices are made and of forecasting future choices. Discrete Choice Analysis (DCEs) and stated choice methods are widely used across diverse fields to study the behavioural responses of individuals, households and other organizations. This is an introduction to the theoretical basis for, and development and application of, the DCEs. The aim of the talk is [...]

In this webinar, I will present a review of recent advances in applied econometrics, which is useful for researchers working on empirical questions related to program/policy impact evaluation. I will consider three major topics offering recommendations for applied work in each of them. I will start with the discussion of causal inferences with observation data; natural experiment design-based identification strategies including difference-in-difference estimator, synthetic control methods, instrumental variables method, and regression discontinuity design. These will be followed by a brief look into external validity, and the causal interpretation of regression methods. Secondly, I will present different supplementary analyses of these estimators [...]

In this webinar, I will present challenges and practical lessons from my previous energy research in Tanzania. These will be the core themes of the presentation What we think we know and potential identification challenges around cross-sectional data based assessment on energy transition The power of experimental design: randomized controlled trials (RCTs) Practical issues to consider focusing on role of partners (both government and non-governmental actors) Experiences from previous experimental studies on energy transition (both technical and practical experience); rural and urban setups PRESENTER: Dr Remidius Ruhinduka, Lecturer, School of Economics, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Member of AFAERE; Research [...]