26 June 2026 | Belgrade, Serbia
PEP hosted an invited session at the International Economic Association 2026 World Congress to explore how researchers in the Global South can move from producing evidence to shaping the policies and partnerships that use it.
L-R: Ingrid Woolard, Marites Tiongco, Jane Mariara, Ronelle Burger, Blagica Petreski
PEP convened a panel on Southern-led research during the 21st World Congress of the International Economic Association. Held in Belgrade in June 2026, the event brought together more than 800 economists, including several Nobel laureates, around the theme of ‘Contrasting World Visions’.
PEP used its invited session at the Congress to convene an entirely PEP-affiliated panel focused on what it takes for researchers and institutions in the Global South to shape the decisions their evidence informs. Chaired by Prof. Jane Mariara, PEP Executive Director, the international panel looked at the full policy research process, from framing the research questions to building the partnerships that carry findings into policy.
The panel brought together four economists from Africa, Asia and Europe, each connected to PEP: Ingrid Woolard(University of Sussex), a member of the PEP Board; PEP Research Fellows Blagica Petreski (Finance Think, North Macedonia) and Ronelle Burger (Stellenbosch University, South Africa); and PEP alumna Marites Tiongco (De La Salle University, Philippines).
Drawing on recent research by the panellists—including Blagica's study of pension reform in North Macedonia, Marites's ongoing review of the institutions that produce policy-ready evidence, Ronelle's PEP-supported work on fair North–South collaborations, and Ingrid's analysis of Global South participation in development economics, based on research by PEP Fellows—the discussion converged on a clear message: producing rigorous evidence is only part of the journey.
Ingrid observed that while co-creation and co-production are improving, collaboration is not yet always as strong as it needs to be, and that developing the capacity of Southern researchers remains essential. Marites framed institutional strength around three qualities: the capability to produce rigorous, reproducible evidence; connectivity to research and policy ecosystems; and the continuity to sustain work over time. Blagica added that lasting impact depends on both predictable institutional funding and research cultures built on trust and long-term engagement with those who use the evidence. Ronelle put the relationship plainly: "Southern researchers do not need to be implementation partners; they need to be thought partners."
Despite coming on the closing day, when many delegates had already left, the session was well attended and sparked healthy debate. Much of the audience exchange centred on power imbalances in research and the position of junior researchers, including how those imbalances differ from region to region across the Global South, and on the future of research funding. Those taking part included researchers, policymakers, donors and doctoral students. Speaking from the floor, PEP alumna Jelena Zarkovic described how PEP had strengthened her institution's capacity and opened doors to new collaborations, including in European research projects.
Reflecting afterwards, Prof. Mariara said: "The discussion reaffirmed that research alone does not change policy. Policy changes when credible evidence is co-created with those who use it, embedded in strong institutions, and translated into action through trusted partnerships. That is exactly why PEP's work, supporting researchers, institutions, policymakers and other stakeholders across the Global South, remains more important than ever."
Read more about why local leadership in economic development research is vital and what PEP does to support and promote this:
