What led you to become a visiting Ph.D. student at IFN?
During the part of my Ph.D. studies when it is common to go abroad for an exchange to experience a new environment and build new connections, I became a father. Instead of traveling far, I wanted to find a research environment closer to home. I contacted Daniel Waldenström and inquired about the possibility of coming to IFN. Besides the practical reasons, I was also interested in IFN as a workplace, since it is a research institute that conducts policy-relevant research and serves as something of a hub for economists in Sweden, with many of its researchers affiliated with universities across the country. Being a visiting doctoral student here felt like hitting three birds with one stone.
Tell us about your research interests and what your upcoming dissertation will focus on:
Broadly speaking, my dissertation explores how society can create better conditions for strengthening human capital. The project I have primarily worked on during my time at IFN focuses on the design of teacher education and how it can help attract and train better teachers. I also study the role of education in fostering individuals’ democratic and civic engagement. A third project investigates how increased future security, in the form of permanent residence permits, affects international doctoral students’ willingness to stay in Sweden after completing their degrees, as well as their desire to integrate into society.
My time at IFN has been very rewarding. I especially appreciated the small and cohesive environment and the collegial atmosphere that comes with it. The small scale has made it easy to connect with others and engage in discussions in a natural way. The recurring seminars have been inspiring and broadened my knowledge of economics. During my stay, IFN also organized policy seminars with participants from both business and politics. Besides being interesting in themselves, it has been particularly encouraging to witness the strong interest among public and private decision-makers in the knowledge that economic research can provide.
Have you established any collaborations with researchers that will continue after you leave IFN?
Since I have mainly focused on the dissertation projects I brought with me to IFN, I have not had the opportunity to initiate any new joint research projects. However, the seminars and conversations with researchers here have sparked my interest in the research conducted at the institute and inspired ideas on how my own work could be integrated with theirs. In that sense, the foundation has been laid for potential future collaborations.
Anything else you would like to share? Something that worked particularly well or poorly?
Overall, I am very satisfied with my time at IFN. From day one, everything has run smoothly—both practically and academically. It has been a workplace where I could quietly focus on my projects while still feeling part of a larger community.