The IDE School is a short-intensive academic program for young economists coming from all over the world. The school has a three-day program of lectures and workshops by inviting two eminent scholars. The aim of this program is to provide young economists an opportunity to join in on the latest developments in the field of Spatial Economics, and to present their own ongoing research followed by vital feedback and discussion in a relaxed and open atmosphere. While the school will primarily be appealing to those who work in the fields of Spatial, Urban and Regional Economics, we would very much welcome participants from other applied fields such as development, public, trade, industrial organization, and labor.

October 15 (Wed) to 17 (Fri), 2025

Institute of Developing Economies (IDE)
Address: 3-2-2, Wakaba, Mihama-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba Japan 261-8545

• Hans Koster (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
• Jacques-François Thisse (IDE-JETRO and UCLouvain)
• Toshitaka Gokan (IDE-JETRO)

• Each day starts with lectures followed by participants’ paper presentations/discussions except for the third day.
• There are four (4) slots for participants’ presentations. Presenters will each be allotted 22 minutes for presentations and discussion.
• All participants are cordially invited to a welcome dinner on the first day. Lunch will be served on the 2nd and final day.

• We welcome and encourage applications from scholars within five years from their completion of the Ph.D. program and Economics Ph.D. candidates in the fields of spatial, urban and regional economics as well as all other applied econ fields such as development, public, trade, industrial organization, and labor.

• To apply the IDE School,
  1. 1) Please fill in the preliminary online application form by August 17, 2025.
  2. 2) Please send the following documents to ide_school by August 17, 2025. Kindly note that late submissions will not be considered.
     - CV (free format)
     - One-page (A4) description of your representative research topics.
     - An extended abstract of your paper, or preferably the full paper (if you wish to present a paper at the school)
• Please ask one of your academic advisors to send a short reference that endorses your participation in the school and describes how it relates to your research interests or dissertation plans if you’re a PhD student. The reference needs to reach IDE no later than August 17, 2025 (JST) via e-mail. If the reference fails to reach the date shown above, the application will be automatically turned down.
• Successful applicants will be notified by August 27, 2025.

• Registration fees (JPY15,000) cover all lecture materials, working lunches, coffee breaks, and one dinner on the first day.
• Accommodation at Makuhari International Training Center locating 1-1, Hibino, Mihamaku, Chiba-shi, Chiba Japan 261-0021 (inside of Touto University), located 5 mins from IDE-JETRO is provided upon request at the cost of JPY 6,600/night (check-in Oct 14, check-out Oct 17 or 18). In case you wish to stay at other hotels, please reserve your room for yourself.
• The payment procedure and deadline will be announced with successful application notification. The registration fee is not refundable once participants complete their registration. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide financial support for travel expenses, thus all participants need to prepare their means of transportation by themselves.
• If successful candidates would need a visa for entering Japan, IDE will issue an invitation letter to support the visa application at the embassy of Japan in your country of residence.

• Jacques-François Thisse (IDE-JETRO and UCLouvain)
• So Umezaki (IDE-JETRO)
• Toshitaka Gokan (IDE-JETRO)

• Jacques-François Thisse (IDE-JETRO and UCLouvain)
• So Umezaki (IDE-JETRO)
• Yumiko Ishikawa (IDE-JETRO)
• Toshitaka Gokan (IDE-JETRO)
• Tamaki Suzuki (IDE-JETRO)

*Please note that the lecture slot is the subject of modification.