What does the CSAE do?
The Centre for the Study of African Economies, usually known as the CSAE, is an economic research centre in the Social Sciences Division at the University of Oxford, with researchers in the Department of Economics, the Blavatnik School of Government, and the Oxford Department for International Development.
It aims to make a significant contribution to the transformation of African economic performance by:
- Publishing significant theoretical and empirical findings;
- Establishing itself as a focus of collaboration between researchers and policymakers;
- Engaging with policymakers and academics;
- Engaging in the training of postgraduate students.
The Centre is distinctive in a number of respects:
- Its research has required the collection of substantial amounts of primary data.
- It has sought to develop both micro and macro approaches to growth and poverty.
- Its work is collaborative between institutions across disciplines, NGOs, and international organisations.
- Its research has strong policy implications for African economies
About our research
The research undertaken at the CSAE is both microeconomic and macroeconomic. This means it looks at issues facing individuals, farmers, entrepreneurs or companies, as much as issues in relation to the overall economy such as inflation and exchange rate setting.
Centre staff participate in a wide range of activities within Africa, including data collection for both households and firms, training, and discussion with both the business and policy-making communities. The Centre also operates a programme of lunch-time seminars during term, and runs annual conferences aimed at its different user groups. Key data sets which the Centre has been responsible for collecting are also available on this web site.
Our former students are now employed throughout the world. CSAE members are available to discuss their work by phone or by e-mail.
Our objective in developing these areas has been to build the research infrastructure that will allow us to pursue our primary research objective – the production of excellent research geared to an improvement in Africa’s economic performance.