Departmental news

Professor Stefano Caria has recently featured in the VoxDevTalks podcast series, discussing new work in the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) Policy Insights series on reducing barriers to employment in low and middle income countries.

J-PAL’s Policy Insights programme aims to bring together lessons emerging from multiple academic studies and publish policy briefs to help inform decision-making in governments, NGOs, firms, and funders working to address similar challenges.

Hosted by Tim Phillips, the episode, “Helping jobseekers signal their skills” also features Professor Marianne Bertrand of Chicago Booth School. Professor Bertrand and Professor Caria are co-chairs of the J-PAL Labor Markets sector, responsible for developing Policy Insights work in this area.

In the podcast, Professor Caria and Professor Bertrand discuss the key insights from Improving job seekers’ employment and earnings through credible skills signals, published in November. Identifying a “major market failure,” Professor Bertrand explains that matching skills to jobs is not straightforward. Employers don’t want to hire someone who lacks the skills for the role; but they also don’t want to hire someone with greater skills than are required as that person is likely to move on quickly once their skills are publicly demonstrated.

It is also the case that job seekers, especially young people, don’t always find it easy to assess their own skills against those set out in job descriptions.

Strategies to address this might include paying inexperienced workers less; investing in training; or relying on referrals from friends and families of existing workers. Professor Bertrand notes that “referrals have advantages but also some clear limitations,” warning that less-well-networked groups like women and younger workers can lose out.

Professor Caria adds that “for young people especially, who are trying to enter the labour market, the idea that unless they have the right connections they’re not going to land the job can be extremely discouraging.”

The policy brief reviews fourteen randomized evaluations to set out the impact of one relatively low-cost intervention – enabling job-seekers to demonstrate their skills in a reliable and standardised way. For example, they could get a certificate from a recognised local institution such as a college or an NGO after taking part in a skills evaluation workshop.

Professor Caria concludes: “The evidence seems clear that such programmes help job-seekers better understand their own skills, so they apply for more appropriate roles, and they help employers make better hiring decisions. Job-seekers who can demonstrate their skills tend to earn more, and they tend to stay in role longer, which is a benefit to the firm and helps to grow the economy overall.”

• Listen to the podcast: VoxDev Development Economics / Helping jobseekers signal their skills
• Read the policy brief: Improving job seekers’ employment and earnings through credible skills signals | The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab
• Read an academic literature review by Professor Caria and Professor Kate Orkin which covers these interventions: Barriers to Search & Hiring in Urban Labour Markets | VoxDev

Legislation drafted by Dr Stephen Connelly and Professor Celine Tan from Warwick Law School with Dr Karina Patricio Ferreira Lima from University of Leeds School of Law to deal with the sovereign debt crisis in developing countries has been scheduled for debate in the UK Parliament.

WMG, at The University of Warwick (UK), and Binghamton University (USA) have entered an agreement to explore collaboration in the fields of science, technology and education with the aim of fueling vital battery manufacturing capability in both countries. The new five-year memorandum of understanding sets the foundation to encourage the sharing of academic, scientific and cultural experiences between the two institutions, both pioneers in the battery field.

Battery research and educational materials for training will be a key element of the collaboration, which will explore access to shared facilities and equipment to maximize the capabilities of both institutions.

The I-WOTCH research study, which was conducted at the Warwick Clinical Trials Unit, has been featured as an evidence piece by the NIHR (National Institue for Health and Care Research).

Reza Kashtiban has been conferred the Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (HEA/Advance HE)Link opens in a new window through the Academic and Professional Pathway for Experienced staff.

A new study from Warwick Medical School is looking at how an app and remote consultations could help the NHS support people living with obesity.

After four decades of dedicated service, Professor Wiji Arulampalam, a distinguished member of the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick, is retiring. Renowned for her ground-breaking research and being cited over 11,000 times, Wiji leaves behind a legacy that will resonate for years to come.

Joining the Department in 1984, Wiji has achieved numerous accolades, such as being named among the World's Top 2 percent Scientists by Stanford University, in 2020. Her work has helped shape the academic and practical understanding of economics for the next generation.

Professor Ben Lockwood, Head of Department, said:
"Wiji, thank you for everything you have done for the Department over the past forty years. As well as being an exceptional researcher and valued teacher, you have also given so much to us all over the years with your good humour and kindness. You will be greatly missed."

Wiji's retirement marks the end of a remarkable chapter in the Department’s history, but her legacy will endure through the many students and colleagues she inspired.

Please see our video dedicated to Wiji below:

Yomi Adegoke, who studied on our 3 year LLB degree and graduated in 2014 has made the University Challenge 2024 Christmas special line-up. Journalist and author Yomi, whose debut novel ‘Slay In Your Lane’ was adapted into TV programme ‘The List’ will join three other Warwick alumni to fight for the title of Christmas champions. Don't miss the University Challenge Christmas series, starting on 23 December at 8.30pm on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two.

A recent publication in Cell, leading by Prof. Jianfeng Feng, presents a comprehensive atlas of proteome-phenome associations (https://proteome-phenome-atlas.com/Link opens in a new window) by systematically mapping 2,920 plasma proteins to the presence and onset of 720 diseases and 986 health-related traits in 53,026 individuals. This atlas provides insights into shared and characteristic biological mechanisms among diseases. The proteomic profiles, coupled with machine learning, identify useful biomarkers and prediction models for multiple health conditions simultaneously. Through integrating protein quantitative trait locus (pQTL) data, this work also illustrates the use of the atlas for causal protein discovery and further drug target prioritization. The proteome-phenome atlas furnishes an extensive resource supporting future research in screening, diagnosis, and treatment of human diseases and advancing precision medicine.

See here https://statsupai.org/quarto_web/site/posts/S11_interview.html for a more detailed discussion on the article.

The University of Warwick and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia have collaborated to create a brand new online course designed to improve access to quality healthcare around the world.