International Conference on Redesigning the Welfare State

The conference will provide a forum for work of the highest scientific standard in public economics and bring together international experts in different fields (economics, political science, demography). The program will focus on two interrelated topics in public economics: 1) Pensions, Financial Crises and the Design of the Welfare state and 2) Gender and Public Policy. Both theoretical and empirical contributions will be considered, as long as they meet high scientific standards. Especially the first topic is of great interest for Switzerland, since population aging is tightening the fiscal constraint for the Swiss pension system’s first pillar, while financial crises and low interest rates reduce the long-term performance of its private funds. The conference will provide a unique opportunity for highly ranked researchers from Switzerland and other countries to discuss their work in a relaxed atmosphere while encouraging the development of long-term collaborative relationships. This interaction will be highly beneficial for young researchers, in particular Swiss and European PhD students. The conference will also help to promote the activity of the recently launched Center for Economic and Political Research on Aging (CEPRA), based at the Universita’ della Svizzera Italiana.