Economics

This is an interdisciplinary course that addresses sustainability, climate change and how to combine economic development with a healthy environment. Students explore greening the economy and the sustainable development goals on four levels – individual, business, city, and nation, and look at the relationships between these levels. Practical examples of the complexities and solutions across each level are discussed. A particular focus is placed on examples from Scandinavia, but the course also features examples from Europe and around the world.

From the local to the global perspective, economic activity is unevenly distri­buted. Economic geography is concerned with describing, understanding, explaining, and influencing econo­mic territorial patterns and processes. This course overviews economic geography approaches and key concepts. Moving from the local/regional level to the global, main conceptual ideas on the spatial development of industries and of regions at various scales are discussed. This is done through the lens of main actors: firms/entrepreneurs, labor, and institutions. Spatial economy involves a wider societal context surrounding economic processes: socio-cultural, institu­tional, and relational network patterns and characteristics. The course is also an introduction to geography as a wider discipline, and pays attention to the economic landscape of the Netherlands. Course includes real world cases, tutorials, and assignments, and participants actively carry out project assignments that are not only literature based but also include a fieldtrip and fieldwork.

This course provides a study of the main elements that make up the Spanish financial system, its institutions (European Central Bank, Bank of Spain, banking and non-bank financial intermediaries), and its markets (monetary and capital). It examines the current state of financial systems, including the role played by financial institutions, central banks, and different regulators.

Using publicly available information and real-world case studies including Marks & Spencer, Carrefour and Coca-Cola, the course introduces a framework for business analysis and valuation grounded in academic research. Taking students through key analysis components such as business strategy analysis, accounting analysis, financial analysis and prospective analysis in a variety of decision contexts, the course then proceeds to focus on equity valuation. The objective of this second half of the course is to provide students with a detailed, applied knowledge of contemporary valuation methodologies. This includes technical sessions, exploration of the practices in the field and numerous cases and technical exercises.

Have financial crises become more frequent and more severe over time? What can early bubbles tell us about the state of different stock markets? Was fiscal policy as important as monetary policy in helping recovery in Britain and the US after the Great Depression? Exploring these topics informs our understanding of current global financial markets. During this course, students are asked to engage with these important topics and more, participating in lively discussion.

This undergraduate research course provides opportunities to conduct independent research under the supervision of a faculty member at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Participants are expected to devote approximately 20 hours per week to their research project, with the exact time commitment determined in consultation with the faculty supervisor. The course requires the completion of an original research paper. It develops research methods, analytical thinking, academic writing, and the ability to communicate research findings effectively through scholarly papers and reports. As an independent research program, the course emphasizes initiative, self-directed learning, and regular consultation with the faculty supervisor throughout the research process.

The course examines some of the important recent developments in economics, focusing mainly, but not exclusively, on key contributions since 1950, especially those whose authors were awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Science. Through an examination of the original as well as more modern academic literature, it will look at analytical concepts and techniques that were once novel but are now widely accepted. The course also touches on the historical context in which economics evolved.