THE BERLIN OFFICE OF RWI
RWI in Berlin: Science meets politics
Since 2007, the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research has been combining economic research with practical policy advice in Berlin. Our Berlin office strengthens the institute's presence in the German capital. We build bridges between research and policy.
Dual expertise: scientific networking and policy advice
The team in Berlin consists of researchers from all RWI areas of expertise as well as from the research groups Global Migration and Microstructure of Tax and Transfer Systems. We work closely with Berlin universities and communicate research results directly to decision-makers. Politicians, media professionals and other stakeholders find competent answers to economic questions at our institute.
Active networking in the research landscape
Since 2023, the RWI Berlin Network Seminar has regularly invited leading researchers from Berlin and the surrounding area. Anyone interested can participate after registering.
Together with our partner institutions, we coordinate important Berlin research networks and seminar series:
- Berlin School of Economics Applied Micro Seminar (BAMS)
- Berlin Network for Labour Market Research (BeNA)
- Development Economics Network Berlin (DENeB)
- Research Seminar on Environment, Resource and Climate Economics (RSERC)
Knowledge transfer through events
Our Berlin office organises conferences, workshops and dialogue formats on current economic policy issues. We bring research, politics and society into conversation. If you would like to find out more about our events or participate in our network seminar, please contact us at Claudia.Schmiedchen@rwi-essen.de.
Upcoming events
20.11.2025: Joint Learning Forum
Evidence That Matters: Evidence-based Development Cooperation in Strategy and Practice
Location: WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Berlin
Time: 8:30 am - 15:45 pm
Further information and the programme are available here.
03.12.2025: RWI Berlin Network Seminar
Speaker: Hannah Klauber(PIK)
Location: Hybrid – Berlin Office and Teams Link
Time: 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Title: The Immediate and Lasting Effects of Heat Waves On Workers
Abstract: This paper examines how prolonged exposure to heat affects the labor force’s ability to work in the short and long run. Linking administrative public health insurance records for one-third of the German working-age population to the quasi-experimental occurrence of heat waves, we provide the first comprehensive characterization of the occupation-specific heterogeneity in how heat-induced health damages materialize in decreased labor supply, and its distributional implications. An average hot day increases the number of new sick leave cases, and the effects build with prolonged heat. After seven consecutive days of heat exposure, the impact is roughly three times greater than on the first day. Workers who are already disadvantaged in terms of their income and working conditions are more vulnerable to heat stress. Those who are more flexible in scheduling and adjusting their working hours are less at risk. Our results also reveal a longer-term decrease in labor supply in the years following heat wave exposure, and suggest sustained increases in expenditures for healthcare.
14.01.2026: RWI Berlin Network Seminar
Speaker: Dr. Barbora Šedová (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK))
Location: Hybrid – Berlin Office and Teams Link
Time: 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Titel: Global food prices and migration in Sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract: In this paper, we study the effect of exogenous global food price changes on out-migration from agricultural and non-agricultural households in Sub-Saharan Africa due to economic reasons. We show that the effect of a locally relevant global food price increase on household out-migration depends on the initial household wealth. Higher international producer prices relax the budget constraint of poor agricultural households and facilitate migration. Unlike positive weather shocks, which mostly facilitate internal rural-urban migration, positive income shocks through rising producer prices only increase migration to neighboring African countries. We further find evidence that higher producer prices increase output conflict over the appropriation of surplus in agricultural districts, which serves as a parallel mechanism explaining the household decision to send a member as a migrant.
29.04.2026: RWI Berlin Network Seminar
Speaker: Moritz Lubczyk (ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin)
Location: Hybrid – Berlin Office and Teams Link
Time: 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Title: tba
10.06.2026: RWI Berlin Network Seminar
Speaker: Sevrin Waights (HU Berlin)
Location: Hybrid – Berlin Office and Teams Link
Time: 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Title: tba
