YSI Day @ EPOG 2026

EPOG (Economic POlicies for the Global bifurcation) is an Erasmus Mundus master’s programme founded in 2012 that trains young scholars in critical, institutionalist, and pluralist political economy. With over 300 graduates and a strong international network of academic and non-academic partners, EPOG has become an important hub for heterodox economic thinking in Europe and beyond.

Building on the success of previous YSI-days at the EPOG Conferences, this project proposes a YSI-day at the 2026 EPOG Conference in Chandolin, Switzerland, a location known for hosting long-standing heterodox economics seminars and fostering open intellectual debate. The event will bring together EPOG students, alumni, faculty, and YSI members for a day of interactive sessions focused on research exchange, collective discussion, and project development.

In a context of growing political polarization, shrinking academic spaces, and increasing pressure on critical scholarship, this YSI-day aims to defend and enact academic freedom by creating a safe, collective space for pluralist debate. Themes will include state–market relations, industrial policy, global inequalities, development, and economic transitions, all approached through heterodox and interdisciplinary lenses.

Participants can expect collaborative workshops, introductions to YSI Working Groups (especially States and Markets), and opportunities to develop concrete research ideas and initiatives for the 2026–2027 academic year. The project seeks to strengthen long-term engagement between EPOG and YSI, expand YSI’s network of young scholars, and reaffirm the importance of international, critical academic communities in turbulent times.