Time
20 Jun 2018 / 10:00 to 21 Jun 2018 / 16:00
Event
National Treasury (NT), Pretoria, South Africa
Project meeting

Kick-off meeting for Young Scholars Programme 2018/19

The Young Scholars Programme is targeted towards South African Master's-level students working on the research component of their degree. The programme aims to expose the students to the research currently conducted in government, introduce them to the government work environment, allow them to exchange ideas with fellow students, and receive constructive feedback on their research from top academics and government officials in their respective research fields.

The programme also provides NT and other government departments participating in the programme with a platform to identify talent. The initiative runs on a yearly basis and the 2018/19 class will gather for a kick-off meeting on 20-21 June 2018 in Pretoria, South Africa.

During the two-day event, students will present their research topics and received feedback from UNU-WIDER experts and NT staff members. In addition, three sessions have been planed where leading academics and government officials will present their ongoing research related to SA-TIED. Lastly, a session aimed at introducing the students to entry-level work opportunities in the government sector will be carried out in the afternoon of 20 June.

Programme

Day 1Activity 
09:30-10:00Registration and coffee 
10:00-10:30Welcome. Introduction to SA-TIED and YSPJacob Lorentzen (UNU-WIDER)
10:30-12:00First round of YS presentations 
Feedback: Murray Leibbrandt (UNU-WIDER), Rob Davies (UNU-WIDER), and Sherwin Gabriel (NT, Modelling and Forecasting)
Maxwell Motloung
The impact of Basel III on the monetary policy transmission mechanism in South Africa
Benjamin McGraw
Does regional economic integration improve the economic efficiency of SADC member countries?
Maleshoane Majara
Determinants of intra-east African community trade
12:00-12:45Lunch 
12:45-13:15Presentation #1: Turning the tide on inequality: building on recent research in key policy areasMurray Leibbrandt (UNU-WIDER)
13:15-14:45Second round of YS presentations
Feedback: Murray Leibbrandt (UNU-WIDER), Rob Davies (UNU-WIDER), and Katlego Moilwa (NT, Government Technical Advisory Centre)
Lesego Masenya
Poverty and Prosperity: Impact of spatial planning of poverty and inequality in South Africa
Rebecca Selkirk
An analysis of South African Mathematics performance
Thabile Nkunjana
Urban agriculture and unemployment
14:45-15:00Coffee break 
15:00-16:30Third round of YS presentations 
Feedback: Murray Leibbrandt (UNU-WIDER), Rob Davies (UNU-WIDER), and Sibusiso Gumbi (NT, Macroeconomic Policy)
Lisa-Cheree Martin
Machine-Learning vs Traditional Forecasting Methods: An Application to South Africa
John Verner
What effect do different types of conflicts have on trade?
Pieter Naude Scribante
The political economy of conflict and peace: Promoting peace in an unequal world
16:30-17:15Government CarouselManqoba Ntshakala (NT, Economic Policy)Gobuiwang Rankane (NT, Fiscal Policy)Veron Vukeya (NT, Economic Policy)
Day 2Activity 
08:15-08:45Coffee and breakfast

 

08:45-10:15Fourth round of YS presentations 
Feedback: Murray Leibbrandt (UNU-WIDER), Rob Davies (UNU-WIDER), and Vukile Davidson (NT, Financial Sector Policy)
Sechaba Mokobane
The impact of entry on competition: The case of South African banking sector
Katiso Letlaka
The effect of banking sector competition on performance in the presenceof risk
Bogani Chiliza
Financialization, distance-to-default, business models of public banks and leverage
10:15-10:30Coffee break 
10:30-12:00Fifth round of YS presentations 
Feedback: Amina Ebrahim (UNU-WIDER), Rob Davies (UNU-WIDER), and Nyeleti Baloyi (NT, Government Technical Advisory Centre)
Samaa Zien
The effect of language on labour market success for immigrants and citizens in South Africa
Bianca De Magalhaes
The impact of rural-urban migration on the health of migrants in South Africa
Lucinda Dlamini
An analysis of factors influencing commercializing of women maize famers in Swaziland
12:00-12:45Presentation #2: Estimating profit shifting in South Africa using firm-level analysisHayley Reynolds (NT, Tax Policy)
12:45-13:30Lunch 
13:30-14:15Presentation #3: Using tax administrative data – the statistical potentialAmina Ebrahim (UNU-WIDER)
14:15-15:45Sixth round of YS presentations 
Feedback: Murray Leibbrandt (UNU-WIDER), Rob Davies (UNU-WIDER), and Andre Steenkamp (NT, Microeconomic Policy).
Panashe Mazungunye
Can Agro‐processing promote a pro‐poor growth in Africa: a Tanzania case study
Mawasha Joseph Leshasha
South Africa’s export potential in non-GM maize markets
Casey Delport
The food policy environment: Addressing the need for policy certainty and alignment with national vision
15:45-16:00Wrap upRob Davies (UNU-WIDER)