International expert in labour and social economics shares insights into current research on labour force participation, social policy, and the impacts of COVID-19.

In the summer semester 2026, the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics welcomes Prof. Dr. Guyonne Kalb as a DAAD Visiting Professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen. The internationally renowned economist is affiliated with the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research at the University of Melbourne and is a leading expert in labour, family, and health economics.

At today’s Jour Fixe of the Faculty, Prof. Kalb introduces herself and her research, providing insights into key themes of her current work.

Prof. Kalb has an extensive international academic background: after studying econometrics in Rotterdam and working in social policy research in the Netherlands, she completed her PhD at Monash University in Australia. For many years, she has worked at the intersection of academic and policy-oriented research and is, among other roles, a Chief Investigator at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course. Her work is characterised by a strong link between empirical analysis and societally relevant questions.

During her visiting professorship, which runs from mid-March to mid-August 2026, she contributes her expertise to both research and teaching at the faculty. A particular focus lies on academic exchange, for instance within the Jour Fixe, where current research is regularly presented and discussed.

In her presentation, she highlighted key findings from several studies in labour market and social policy. One focus was on the increasing labour force participation of women. Based on microeconometric simulation models, her research shows that while policy reforms in the tax and transfer system play a small role, the increase is primarily driven by wage developments and structural changes in the population, such as education, age, and family composition.

Another project examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the labour market. Using administrative data from the Netherlands, Prof. Kalb analyses gender differences and finds that non-essential workers were particularly affected. At the same time, measures such as emergency childcare proved to have a stabilising effect for partnered parents in essential work, while single parents continued to face significant challenges.

In addition, she presented results from the evaluation of a comprehensive social housing reform in Australia. The findings indicate that additional support services can have positive effects for disadvantaged households, while also highlighting challenges in implementation and differing impacts across target groups.

Through her research, Prof. Kalb combines microeconomic methods with key societal questions – ranging from gender equality and family policy to the effects of public interventions. Her visiting professorship not only provides valuable impulses for research at the faculty but also strengthens international academic exchange.