Economics

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrolment is by consent of the instructor. The course introduces fundamentals in economic evaluation theory and modeling methodology in healthcare. Students learn how to structure a medical decision model and how to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness (ICER) and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves (CEACs), how to interpret results, and how to draw policy implications. Students are trained in critically reviewing HTA-studies, in order to judge their validity and applicability. The course discusses topics including CEA/CBA analysis; uncertainty and decision-making in healthcare; fundamental concepts of economic evaluation theory; theoretical foundation of modeling; types of models; development of decision trees and Markov models; an sensitivity analysis and the interpretation of the results. The course consists of ten classes. Classes are lectures which last three hours, with breaks where necessary. At least three classes are Excel workshops carried out in the computer lab. The course requires a reasonable level of understanding of basic mathematical concepts and basic probability theory. Students should also be comfortable with the basics of spreadsheet software such as MS Excel.

This course addresses the key issues that affect the economy and society in emerging markets: globalization, slowing growth, Covid-19, demography, women, urbanization, religion, commodities, water, renewable energies, climate change, currencies, enterprises, and geopolitical power politics. The course considers how the emergence of BRICS, the five major emerging national economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and the following wave of emerging countries appearing in the South, from Nigeria to Indonesia through Ethiopia and Vietnam, has created a strategic challenge for the OECD countries. The emerging markets are analyzed as both growing markets and competitors, with which new partnerships must be invented.

This course applies theories of comparative and international political economy to important issues of current and historical concern. Current issues include the politics of rising income and wealth inequality; debates over redistribution via welfare and taxation in a changing global economy; the politics of international trade in democracies and non-democracies; the impact of globalization and growth on the global environment and the politics of climate protection; the impact of the rise of China and other emerging countries on policy, politics and institutions in advanced countries; the politics of monetary and exchange rate management; the political causes of financial instability and the policy and political consequences of financial crises; and the changing nature of institutions and governance in the global political economy. 

This course develops an integrated framework of household finance for private and public use. It covers how to maximize intertemporal utility given an individual's life-cycle income; how to become rich if one wants to pay the price for it; how to save, borrow, and purchase property (and if one should do it at all); et cetera. In terms of public policy, the course provides a holistic view of wealth and income inequality, how poverty restricts sound financial decision making, and how policies can improve social outcomes by reducing (or increasing) income inequality. Topics include developing a sound integrated framework for individuals to manage their finances with a long-term horizon in mind (based on the permanent income hypothesis); analyzing the impact of credit restrictions and hyperbolic discounting in household financial management in poor and middle-income countries; investigating the role of public policy in improving household financial decisions; and explaining the determinants of wealth and income inequality and how economic policies can improve social outcomes. 

This course examines core managerial accounting concepts for planning, control, and decision-making. The course presents the concepts of cost and managerial accounting; analyzes accounting information for decision making purposes; and discusses contemporary managerial accounting techniques. 

This course is designed to introduce students to the systematic study of international political economy (IPE). It attempts to address major IPE theoretical approaches and issues within the field such as trade, finance, and capital movement. 

With the different food crisis and increased protectionism, agriculture is coming back in the policy makers' agendas. Food security, food sovereignty, and sustainability are now central to the debate. This course provides an understanding of the main challenges facing the world food markets. It introduces the basis of agricultural economics and policy with a particular focus on the European Common Agricultural Policy. The role of international institutions and trade liberalization is also discussed, in particular concerning developing countries. Agricultural specificities in the WTO and regional negotiations are detailed. Finally, policy evaluation tools are briefly presented, based on some examples.