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 at its Berlin location. Our Berlin office strengthens the institute's presence in the German capital. We build bridges between research and politics.
Upcoming events
Speaker: Maja Adena (WZB and TU Berlin)
Location: Hybrid – Berlin Office and Teams Link
Time: 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Title: “Reading News and Learning from It: A Field Experiment with a Newsfeed App on News Knowledge, and Media Trust" (co-authored with Sabrina Jeworrek (IWH & OvGU Magdeburg))
Abstract: We study whether access to a newsfeed app and the composition of its news mix affect news consumption, knowledge, and trust in media. In a preregistered field experiment, we provided more than 550 participants in Germany with complimentary 30-day access to a news app and randomly varied the share of economics and current affairs articles (E/CA news) across treatment groups, relative to a no-app control group. After two weeks, access to the app significantly increased trust in media. Participants exposed to a high share of E/CA news performed better on a news-knowledge quiz than those exposed to a low share. These effects are heterogeneous by ex-ante preferences for news: individuals with stronger prior interest in E/CA news benefit most from the high-E/CA treatment. When users were allowed to customize their news mix in the last two weeks of the study, they read fewer economics and current affairs articles and reduced their willingness to pay for the app. Overall, our results indicate that platforms seeking to improve informational outcomes may benefit more from curated high-quality news exposure than from giving users greater freedom to personalize their feed.
New data show how people are moving within Senegal and on their way to Europe. What role do climate, education, and economic prospects play in this? Recent research findings provide insights for German development and migration policy.
RWI-Impuls is an exclusive roundtable format in which the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research invites selected stakeholders from politics, civil society, and the media to discuss scientific evidence on current, socio-politically relevant topics with researchers in a confidential setting. The events follow the Chatham House Rules. The event is reserved for invited guests. A breakfast will be served during the event.
Speaker: Johanna Arlinghaus (Hertie School)
Location: Hybrid – Berlin Office and Teams Link
Time: 1:30 - 2:30 pm
Title: tba
In the RWI Impulse “Affordable Housing in Times of Demographic Change and the Green Transition” we discuss with experts from politics, academia, and various interest groups the regionally varying challenges that demographic change and the decarbonization of the building sector pose for the availability of affordable housing.
Datum: 15 October 2026
RWI Impulse is an exclusive roundtable format in which the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research invites selected actors from politics, civil society, and the media to discuss scientific evidence on current, socio-politically relevant topics with researchers in a confidential setting. The events follow the Chatham House Rules. The event is reserved for invited guests.
Dual expertise: scientific networking and policy advice
The team in Berlin works closely with Berlin universities and communicates research findings directly to decision-makers. Politicians, media professionals and other stakeholders can find expert answers to economic questions here.
The team 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.
Active networking in the research landscape
Since 2023, the RWI Berlin Network Seminar has regularly invited leading scientists from Berlin and the surrounding area. Interested parties can participate after registering.
Furthermore, we coordinate important Berlin research networks and seminar series together with our partner institutions:
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.
At RWI Impuls, you will find a confidential space for scientifically sound policy discussions. Here, research and decision-making come together directly. RWI Impuls is our exclusive round-table format in Berlin.
If you would like to learn more about our events or participate in our networking seminar, please contact us at Claudia.Schmiedchen@rwi-essen.de.
