Economic Perspectives on Societal Challenges

How can equal opportunity be promoted? How to regulate markets in light of the internationalization and digitalization? What is the best way to design a stable financial system? A Collaborative Research Center/Transregio involving the Universities of Bonn and Mannheim is providing answers to these questions. The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding the research program with around 12 million euros for a third funding period. The University of Bonn is the host university.

The Collaborative Research Center “Economic Perspectives on Societal Challenges: Equality of Opportunity, Market Regulation, and Financial Stability” has three pillars. The first pillar focuses on family and education policy. The second pillar deals with market regulation against the backdrop of internationalization and digitalization. The third pillar deals with the regulation of financial markets. 

In the second funding period, the CRC’s research program was expanded by two new projects on “Behavioral Determinants of Labor Market Inequalities” and “Heterogeneity, Financial Frictions and Macroeconomic Stabilization”. The CRC thus integrates a new labor market perspective on the one hand and broadens the macroeconomic focus of its research program on the other. 

The upcoming funding phase will build on this momentum. Existing research continued, as developments in global markets and societal conditions will be analyzed in depth until the end of the funding period in 2029.

Professor Dr. Sven Rady from the University of Bonn is the designated spokesperson of the CRC as of January 1, 2026.