Costas is a Research Fellow of the Institute. He is also Professor of Economics at Yale University and Visiting Professor at University College London. His research interests are Econometrics, Public policy, Labor economics, Economics of education, Microeconometrics, Evaluation of public policy, Household behavior, Retirement and pensions, Income distribution, Consumption, Demand analysis, Investment and Development economics.
Education
PhD Economics, University of Manchester, 1985
MA (with Distinction) Economics, University of Manchester, 1980
BA (1st Class Honours) Economics and Econometrics, University of Manchester, 1979
In this paper we show how experimental data from field trials can be used to enhance the evaluation of interventions and we also illustrate the potential importance of allowing for longer term incentive and General Equilibrium effects.
This research is part of a large evaluation effort, undertaken by a consortium formed by IFS, Econometria and SEI, which has considered the effects of Familias en Acción on a variety of outcomes one year after its implementation.
The chapter on The economic evaluation of education initiatives considers issues related to the economic evaluation of government interventions in the education system, followed by a discussion of recent evidence of the Education Maintenance Allowance and Excellence in Cities initiatives.
Friedman’s book on the consumption function is one of the great works of Economics demonstrating how the interplay between theoretical ideas and data analysis can lead to major policy implications.
This report describes the survey that was carried out in 122 communities in rural Colombia bythe consortium formed by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Econometria and SEI as the baselinefor the impact evaluation of Familias en Acción, a programme to foster the accumulation ofhuman capital in rural Colombia, run by the Colombian government.
