The Economics of Urbanisation
Vrije University - Summer & Winter graduate programs
Key Information
Campus location
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 week
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 525 *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
21 Jul 2024
* VU students
Introduction
Over half the world's population now live in cities and, within a few decades, the population of urban areas will exceed the entire global population today. Ongoing urbanization presents opportunities and challenges that are of interest to policymakers and researchers.
In this course, you will learn about the economic forces that underpin urbanization and shape cities. Along the way, you will be equipped with knowledge and skills that help answer questions such as: Why are firms and people moving to cities? How do we measure the performance of cities? What factors explain why some cities thrive, while others struggle? What can policymakers do to improve the economic, social, and environmental performance of cities? To gain insight into these questions, students will participate in lectures, self-directed work, and field visits.
Amsterdam provides a unique base to learn about cities. From humble beginnings as a bridge over the river Amstel, Amsterdam rose to prominence during the 17th century as a center of international trade. Today, Amsterdam forms part of a large, prosperous, and inter-connected metropolitan region that sits at the heart of Europe. The course is delivered by the Department of Spatial Economics at Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, whose 60 staff members are actively engaged in multi-disciplinary academic research and policy development. Publications by the Department’s staff are internationally recognized and rank in the top 5% of institutions worldwide in relevant economic disciplines. Many staff also have prominent advisory roles for government and media institutions, linking research to practice.
- Course level: Master / Advanced / Beginner
- Credits: 2 ECTS
- Contact Hours: 25
- Language: English
- Tuition fee: €525 - €995
Gallery
Ideal Students
We welcome students from a wide variety of disciplines, including but not limited to: Economics, geography, political science, engineering, mathematics, data science, business, operations research, policy, planning, and psychology.
Apart from Bachelor's and Master's students, we also welcome PhD candidates and professionals to apply to the course.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Equal Access Scholarship
Application procedure
The application deadline has expired. It is no longer possible to apply for the Equal Access Scholarship.
Great that you are interested in applying for the Equal Access Scholarship. You can apply via this link (expired) for the scholarship from 1 February and 1 April. Please be aware that it is only possible to select one course.
The results of the scholarship selection will be announced in mid-May. Since we have a limited number of scholarships available for a large number of applicants, we suggest - if possible! - to complete your payment at the time of your course application to guarantee your place in the course. However, if you are not able to come without the scholarship, you can just wait until the announcement. If you would like to come, regardless of whether you will be granted the scholarship, it is best to secure your place in the course by completing your payment via our regular application form. If the scholarship is granted to you, the tuition and accommodation fees will be reimbursed.
Deadline to submit your Equal Access Scholarship application: 31 March (23:59 CET).
Photographer Scholarship
Do you love to capture moments, people, and surroundings on your smartphone/camera? Do you have good editing skills and a passion for social media? Become our summer school photographer! This photographer scholarship is only offered to those participating in a 2-week course or in case you join us for both sessions.
What do we offer:
- €500 discount on tuition fee
- A number of social activities for free (allocated by summer team, requirement: must take photos)
What do we expect from you:
- Photos of your time at VU Amsterdam Summer School (photos of fellow students, Amsterdam, excursions, and social program)
- Creating content/story takeover on the VU Amsterdam Instagram account
- Participation in the social program (free of charge and based on availability)
- Attending the photographer kick-off meeting
Application procedure*
Please send a short video where you introduce yourself (approx. 30 seconds-1 minute) and some examples of your photo work to [email protected], please use 'Photographer Scholarship' as the subject line. It is important to use your own smartphone or camera. Deadline for applications: 14 May 23:59 (CET).
As the Photographer application deadline is after the course registration deadline, it is important that you apply and pay for the course you are interested in before the application deadline of 1 May. If you end up winning the scholarship, then you will be reimbursed the €500 that the scholarship grants. If you are not granted the scholarship and are not able to join the course without the partial grant, then you can still receive a full refund until 16 May. If you are not able to join without the grant then you can also decide to wait until the winners are announced - and thus not apply for the course beforehand - however, this could mean that the course you are interested in is not available anymore. We, therefore. highly recommend, if possible, to apply via our application page before the official course registration deadline.
*If you are a summer Exchange student or a university partner nominee (course fee and/or housing is funded by your university), then you are, unfortunately, not applicable for this scholarship.
Program Outcome
By the end of this course, students will:
- Have a solid understanding of the economic mechanisms that drive urbanisation, determine why some cities are more successful than others.
- Gain insight into the policy challenges that metropolitan areas face and the pros and cons of the instruments that can be used to tackle these challenges.
- Develop experience in conducting and presenting applied research, including evaluation methodologies used in benefit-cost analysis.