INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY

Course objectives

The Course provides the following achievements: Knowledge and understanding: students acquire basic knowledge on the main topics of international economic policy, with a focus on an open economy scenario, as well as basic knowledge on market failures, short-term and long-term models; the economic interdependences and cooperative patterns across national economic systems; Applying knowledge and understanding: students will be equipped with the tools to understanding the most relevant contemporary debates on economic policies, with a focus on an open economy scenario, as well as the theoretical and applied linkages across alternative policy tools and schools of thought; Critical skills: students will be able to understand and provide an informed critical view on the contemporary debate on the coordination of economic policies as well as on the impacts of alternative options, with a focus on an open economy scenario, by making appropriate reference to the main economic models; Communication skills: students will be involved in in-class activities and open discussions meant to strengthen their ability to present arguments on the topic to a non-specialist audience; Learning skills: students learning abilities include the capacity to keep track of the most relevant contemporary debates as well as to attend advanced courses in Economics with a sufficient degree of autonomy.

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PIERLUIGI MONTALBANO Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
The course is structured into two distinct modules. The first module (6 ECTS) provides a comprehensive background in international economic policy. It examines both orthodox and heterodox stabilization models, the policies of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as well as monetary, financial, and trade policies in developing countries. Additional topics include industrial and rural development strategies, food security and global value chains, environmental sustainability policies, and international migration. The second module (3 ECTS) focuses on key contemporary debates in the field of structural transformation and sustainable development.
Prerequisites
No mandatory course prior to attendance
Books
Textbooks: - Giovanni Andrea Cornia, Simone Bertoli, Luca Bortolotti, Bruno Martorano, Donato Romano, Marco Sanfilippo, Luca Tiberti, Elisa Ticci, “La Politica Economica dei Paesi in via di Sviluppo”, @2022 Firenze University Press DOI:10.36253/978-88-5518-522-6 - Handouts and supplementary materials
Teaching mode
The course is organized by mixing frontal lectures and open debates on specific issues. Frontal lectures are key in fixing students' background knowledge and fostering their understanding of the key topics in the field (hard skills). Presentations and open debates are specifically meant to foster students' critical, learning and communication skills on the main topics of relevance for the international economic policy (soft skills).
Frequency
The course is organized by mixing frontal lectures and open debates on specific issues.
Exam mode
To pass the exam, students should pass a written test and, possibly, an oral interview. The written exam is a multiple choices test of 30 questions and will last 45 min. This could be complemented by an oral interview on one of the topics included in the course program. To pass the exam, students should get a minimum grade of 18/30. This shows sufficient knowledge and understanding of the key topics of the course. To get first-class honour, students should demonstrate excellent knowledge and understanding of all the topics of the course. Summa cum laude can be awarded for distinguished students that show qualified achievements during the course as well as the ability to link the various topics of the course in a logical framework. Attending students can take a mid-term written test on a first subset of topics included in the first module. They can decide whether this mid-term evaluation should be included in the overall evaluation.
Lesson mode
The course is organized by mixing frontal lectures and open debates on specific issues. Frontal lectures are key in fixing students' background knowledge and fostering their understanding of the key topics in the field (hard skills). Presentations and open debates are specifically meant to foster students' critical, learning and communication skills on the main topics of relevance for the international economic policy (soft skills).
PIERLUIGI MONTALBANO Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
The course is structured into two distinct modules. The first module (6 ECTS) provides a comprehensive background in international economic policy. It examines both orthodox and heterodox stabilization models, the policies of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as well as monetary, financial, and trade policies in developing countries. Additional topics include industrial and rural development strategies, food security and global value chains, environmental sustainability policies, and international migration. The second module (3 ECTS) focuses on key contemporary debates in the field of structural transformation and sustainable development.
Prerequisites
No mandatory course prior to attendance
Books
Textbooks: - Giovanni Andrea Cornia, Simone Bertoli, Luca Bortolotti, Bruno Martorano, Donato Romano, Marco Sanfilippo, Luca Tiberti, Elisa Ticci, “La Politica Economica dei Paesi in via di Sviluppo”, @2022 Firenze University Press DOI:10.36253/978-88-5518-522-6 - Handouts and supplementary materials
Teaching mode
The course is organized by mixing frontal lectures and open debates on specific issues. Frontal lectures are key in fixing students' background knowledge and fostering their understanding of the key topics in the field (hard skills). Presentations and open debates are specifically meant to foster students' critical, learning and communication skills on the main topics of relevance for the international economic policy (soft skills).
Frequency
The course is organized by mixing frontal lectures and open debates on specific issues.
Exam mode
To pass the exam, students should pass a written test and, possibly, an oral interview. The written exam is a multiple choices test of 30 questions and will last 45 min. This could be complemented by an oral interview on one of the topics included in the course program. To pass the exam, students should get a minimum grade of 18/30. This shows sufficient knowledge and understanding of the key topics of the course. To get first-class honour, students should demonstrate excellent knowledge and understanding of all the topics of the course. Summa cum laude can be awarded for distinguished students that show qualified achievements during the course as well as the ability to link the various topics of the course in a logical framework. Attending students can take a mid-term written test on a first subset of topics included in the first module. They can decide whether this mid-term evaluation should be included in the overall evaluation.
Lesson mode
The course is organized by mixing frontal lectures and open debates on specific issues. Frontal lectures are key in fixing students' background knowledge and fostering their understanding of the key topics in the field (hard skills). Presentations and open debates are specifically meant to foster students' critical, learning and communication skills on the main topics of relevance for the international economic policy (soft skills).
  • Lesson code1017221
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CoursePolitical science and international relations
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year3rd year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDSECS-P/02
  • CFU6