First-class universities play an extremely important role in cultivating high-quality talents and technological innovation, serving as a significant indicator of a country's level of higher education development, developmental strength, and potential. However, there is little literature studying...

This paper analyzes the inequalities and convergence across countries using data on the top 100 players in chess and tennis. We explore the impact of time trends and exogenous global shocks on countries' representation in the top 100 players' lists in a manner akin to a natural experiment,...

The enlargement of the European Union towards the Western Balkans is experiencing unprecedented dynamism, supported by the launch of a tailored Euro 6 billion growth plan. This renewed momentum offers an important opportunity for the Western Balkans to accelerate economic convergence with the...

Understanding the structural change in catching-up regions and the spatial distribution of economic sectors is essential for designing comprehensive policy strategies to promote balanced economic development. This study examines the economic restructuring of the 11 central and eastern European...

Digitalisation has been on the EU policy agenda since 2000. While great strides have been made in this area over the past two decades, the digital transformation is not yet complete. This report seeks to deepen our understanding of the evolution towards a digital Europe. By applying the lens of...

Digitalisation has been on the EU policy agenda since 2000. While great strides have been made in this area over the past two decades, the digital transformation is not yet complete. This report seeks to deepen our understanding of the evolution towards a digital Europe. By applying the lens of...

This paper analyzes the economic growth trajectories of post-communist countries that emerged following the collapse of the USSR. I treat the Soviet Union's sudden dissolution as a natural experiment that triggered rapid institutional changes, providing a unique opportunity to iso- late...

For decades Hungary, like the other post-socialist Central-Eastern European countries, followed a general policy of establishing and strengthening the institutions of democracy and a market economy. While Hungary initially benefited from the EU's convergence mechanisms, including access to the...

We estimate the Phillips Curve using panel data to infer the slope of the aggregate Phillips Curve for Spain. In recent years, inflation has become a puzzle for economists and monetary authorities and academic research has been more active suggesting many possible explanations to the inflation...

During a major crisis, the transitional dynamics of conditional convergence are unlikely to apply. In this paper, we introduce a Markov chain approach which integrates the study of crises and convergence. We allow upwards and downwards mobility to change when a country enters a crisis regime. We...

Cultural Gravity is defined as the power of the cultural milieu of a locality to attract immigrants. We test the impact of Cultural Gravity on the spatial clustering and productivity of culturally diverse migrants throughout the European Union. We add to the literature in two ways. First, we...

This paper analyzes how two major economic downturns-a recession and a stagflation-affected convergence in the European Union (EU). Absolute and conditional convergence rates are estimated using ordinary least squares (OLS) semilog regressions based on cross-sectional data from 2004 to 2022. The...

Given the intersecting challenges of climate instability, resource constraints, and digital transformation, there is an urgent need for scholarly inquiry into the evolving patterns of green economic growth to inform evidence-based strategies for fostering sustainable and inclusive development...

This paper identifies and analyzes the trends and patterns in consumption differences between Eastern and Western European households from 2000 to 2021. Using clustering methods and regression analysis, it examines consumer spending patterns and convergence processes, focusing on how household...

This study analyzes the dynamics of house prices across Istanbul's districts using a unique dataset of house prices and socioeconomic characteristics from 2010Q1 to 2022Q1. The log-t convergence test identifies four convergence clubs, with their formation beginning after 2015, highlighting the...

Inequality and social mobility in India are longstanding social issues. We document patterns of absolute inequality, relative inequality and social mobility for India as a whole as well as for Indian states grouped by level of development. The analysis uses easy to understand indexes constructed...

This Convergence Report has been prepared following a request for a country examination submitted by Bulgaria on 25 February 2025. In producing this report, the ECB fulfils its requirement under Article 140 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to report to the Council of the...

This Convergence Report has been prepared following a request for a country examination submitted by Bulgaria on 25 February 2025. In producing this report, the ECB fulfils its requirement under Article 140 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to report to the Council of the...