FBK-IRVAPP ADVANCED SCHOOL 2024 Advanced Methods for Impact Evaluation (Venice)

The school is designed to be particularly beneficial to graduate students and researchers with intermediate proficiency in applied policy evaluation and quantitative micro-econometrics. It will run over 3 days, from January 22 to January 24, 2024, covering longitudinal data methods for the estimation of policy effects. Different solutions to the identification problem will be considered in theoretical and training sessions (e.g. Difference-in-differences and Synthetic Control methods). Discussion sessions with instructors will be organized, with the possibility for students to present their research in poster sessions. Finally, the winning paper of the 2nd edition of the Best Paper in Public Policy Evaluation will be presented.

The training sessions will illustrate the implementation in Stata of a selection of approaches related to Difference-in-Differences and Synthetic Control; a temporary Stata license will be released on demand. It is recommended that you bring your own laptop to follow the training sessions.

Instructors

Erich Battistin, FBK-IRVAPP and University of Maryland

Enrico Rettore, FBK-IRVAPP and University of Padua

Dates and Venue

January 22-24, 2024

Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, Campo S. Stefano, 2945 S.Marco, 2946, 30124 Venice, Italy

Registration

Candidates can enrol online, and will be asked to complete a short application form.

Online application and payment are due by January 9, 2024. It is advisable that conditional to the offer of a place, payment is made at the earliest to secure your place on the program. Enrolment will be secured only after receipt of the payment notification.

Payment details will be provided in the notification of acceptance, conditional to the offer of place.

Targeted audience

This is an advanced/graduate course on quantitative empirical methods for policy evaluation. As such, knowledge of methods for the evaluation of treatment effects and quantitative micro-econometrics equivalent to Ph.D. or Doctorate level coursework is required.

Programme (may be subject to changes):

Introduction to Causal Panel Data Models

• Static versus Dynamic Treatment Effects
• Examples of Data Structures and Research Designs to Retrieve Counterfactuals
• How Difference-in Differences Works, and Why it Works

Staggered (and More General) Designs

• Empirical Specifications for Event Study Equations (Two Way Fixed Effects)
• Making Staggered Designs Make Sense
• Causal Interpretation of Event Study Coefficients
• Parallel Trends vs No Anticipation
• Beyond Staggered Designs

Back to the Future

• Causal Inference Without Covariates (a taxonomy of possible approaches)
• Semiparametric Inference by Conditioning on Covariates

Synthetic Controls Methods & Extensions

• Matching on Lagged Outcomes
• Estimation and Inference
• Uniqueness Of the Solutions
• Extension to Multiple Treated Units
• Synthetic Difference in Differences

The training sessions will illustrate the implementation in Stata of a selection of approaches related to Difference-in-Differences and Synthetic Control.

Poster and Office hours sessions:

Interaction between instructors and participants (and among participants) is encouraged throughout the school. Participants can register for the poster sessions and office hours at registration (on a first-in first-served basis). In the poster sessions, participants have about 15 minutes to present their research or research idea highlighting methodological issues. Instructors will be available to listen to and discuss what is presented. In office hours, participants can discuss one-to-one with the instructors.

Tuition Fees:

The registration fee includes workshop materials, as well as coffee and lunch breaks; it does not include dinners, accommodation, transport or any other services. We are not in a position to offer any scholarship.

• Students (including Ph.D. students): EUR 500
• Others: EUR 800

All bank charges are for the registrant’s account.

Cancellation Policy:

Cancellation of registration requests must be notified to [email protected]. Refund of the registration fee will be as follows:

• Cancellation requests received by December 31, 2023: full refund.
• Cancellation requests received from January 1, 2024, and no-shows: no refund.