Financial systems are developing rapidly around the global South. These developments increase the need for research into their effects, especially regarding issues of financial inclusion. To this end the Faculty of Economics and Business (theme: Sustainability and Future Prosperity) and the Rudolf Agricola School for Sustainable Development of the University Groningen will host the seventh annual workshop “Finance and Development” in Groningen, The Netherlands, on May 8 and May 9, 2025. The workshop is co-organised by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, and the Cluster of Research Excellence in Inequalities, Poverty and Deprivation (Core-IPD).

The keynote speaker is Jonathan Morduch (NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service).

We invite submissions for papers focusing on financial decision-making in developing countries. This year’s workshop will specifically highlight research related to Africa. Topics of particular interest include:

  • Household and SME finance
  • Financial inclusion of households and enterprises
  • Microfinance, banks, and non-bank financial intermediaries
  • Political economy aspects of the financial sector

Papers will be selected by the program committee members Thorsten Beck (European University Institute), Xavier Giné (World Bank), Stefan Klonner (Heidelberg University), Robert Lensink (Groningen University), Lukas Menkhoff (Kiel Institute), Ugo Panizza (Graduate Institute Geneva), and Lore Vandewalle (KU Leuven). Support for travel and accommodation expenses for presenters may be provided upon request, subject to availability.