2020-2021 / ECON2297-1

Elements of public finances management in developing countries

Duration

20h Th

Number of credits

 Master in population and development studies (120 ECTS)3 crédits 
 Extra courses intended for exchange students (Erasmus, ...) (Faculté des Sciences sociales)3 crédits 

Lecturer

Frieda Vandeninden

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The course is an introduction to the analysis of Public Finances, with a focus on developing countries.
In the Introduction chapter (Chapter 1), Governments intervention and its role in the economy will be discussed, with a focus on externalities and the allocation of public goods.
Chapter 2, The Tools of Public Finances, will review the different types of public expenditure and revenue, considering different forms of classifications. Students will be encouraged to use statistics to make international comparisons. The issue of public revenue mobilization in low-income countries will be addressed.
The analysis of the public deficit and debt formation will be presented in Chapter 3, From deficit to public debt. Practical exercises on debt stability and a seminar led by an external expert will put the theory in perspective.
The Central Government Financial Operations of a State will be discussed in Chapter 4. After reviewing several concrete examples, students will be led to build a simplified budget for a State on the basis of assumptions given.
Chapter 5 will focus on social protection expenditure in developing countries.
 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The course aims to:



  • To understand how Governments intervention through Public Finances analysis
  • To mobilize, present and explain statistics related to Public Finances
  • Interpret deficit and debt statistics
  • Understand the challenges of mobilizing public revenue in developing countries
  • Developed a simplified table of Government financial operations based on data and concrete hypotheses
  • Define the different types of social transfers and understand the implication

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

There is no mandatory pre-requisite to attend the course.; however, basics in economics are a plus

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Ex cathedra course + practical sessions and seminar (mandatory)

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face

Organisational adjustments related to the current health context

Live sessions on Black Board Collaborate (details available on myUliège). 

Recommended or required readings

PPT presentation on ECampus

Assessment methods and criteria

Below you will find information on the evaluation methods planned for in-person and remote exams as well as those planned for hybrid sessions. Depending on how the health crisis evolves, the chosen method will be communicated to you no later than one month before the start of the exam session.

Any session :

- In-person

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )

- Remote

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred in-person


Additional information:

Written exam

Work placement(s)

None

Organizational remarks

Contacts

Frieda Vandeninden, f.vandeninden@uliege.be