Welcome to the CSAE Conference 2026:
Economic Development in Africa
It's that time of year again, the CSAE Conference will be back in person in Oxford, UK, from 22 to 24 March 2026. The Conference will have parallel sessions on a series of development economics topics alongside panels across the three day event.
The CSAE is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026 and so this will be a particularly special event for us. You can also buy an anniversary thermal cup as part of the registration process.
The CSAE Conference brings together colleagues from across the development economics community to discuss Africa. We look forward to seeing you there!
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There is a cost to attend the conference, details about this can be found on the fees page. There is also a capacity limit at the venue and so we will close registration early if this limit is reached.
What's happening at the event?
We have an exciting programme with over 75 sessions and more than 250 speakers.
KEYNOTE SPEECH
Yaw Nyarko, Professor of Economics at New York University (NYU)
Monday 23 March 2026, 11:30 - 13:00
Yaw Nyarko is Professor of Economics at New York University (NYU) and the Director of NYU Africa House and the Center for Technology, Economics, and Development (CTED), as well as Co-Director of the Development Research Institute (DRI). As Co-Director of DRI, he was awarded the 2009 BBVA Frontiers in Knowledge Award on Economic Development Cooperation. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society and a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).
FILM SCREENING AND OPENING PANEL
Made in Africa: An Assessment
Sunday 22 March 2026, 14:15 onwards
Film: Made in Ethiopia (2024)
Speakers:
- Stefano Caria (CSAE, University of Oxford)
- Max Duncan (Film Director)
- Pramila Krishnan (CSAE, University of Oxford)
- Arkebe Oqubay Metiku (SOAS)
Chair:
Stefan Dercon (CSAE, University of Oxford)
CLOSING PANEL
The Science of Scale and Implementation: New Frontiers for Research
Tuesday 24 March 2026, 16:30 - 18:00
Speakers:
- James Habyarimana (Georgetown University)
- Dean Karlan (Northwestern University)
- Nompumelelo Nyathi-Mohohlwane (National Department of Basic Education, South Africa)
Chair:
Noam Angrist (CSAE, University of Oxford)
SPECIAL SESSION
Publishing a Paper in an Academic Journal
Monday 23 March 2026, 09:00 - 11:00
Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of African Economies, John Hoddinott, gives advice on getting your paper on African Economics published in a journal.
CLOSING EVENT - NEW FOR 2026
40th Anniversary Gathering
Tuesday 24 March 2026, 18:15 onwards
To celebrate our 40th birthday in 2026 we will be having a gathering at the end of the Conference to celebrate with a slice of cake.
ACCOMMODATION
Conference venue St Catherine's College.
You can book accommodation at St Catherine's College for the duration of the event. Find out more on our venues and accommodation page.
Events before the CSAE Conference
Events connected to the CSAE Conference 2026.
CSAE Economic Development in Africa Workshop
This year the CSAE Economic Development in Africa Workshop will be hosted by Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia from 01 - 05 December 2025.
The Workshop is for CSAE Conference 20256 funded speakers as well as students and staff at Addis Ababa University.
ReCIPE - AERC Workshop
21 March 2026 - In person, Oxford, UK
The first Reducing Conflict and Improving Performance in the Economy (ReCIPE)-African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) Workshop is a one-day workshop taking place in conjunction with the CSAE Conference 2026 on Saturday, 21 March 2026. It will bring together researchers and policy practitioners from both networks to discuss cutting-edge research on conflict prevention, economic resilience, and growth in fragile countries. More information about the event is available here.