The challenges brought forward by a global pandemic and other humanitarian crises have once again shown the necessity of robust, sustainable, and inclusive institutions. Investment in education and vocational skills increases the likelihood that youth can find productive and gainful work – a key element of inclusive growth. However, increasing participation and the quality of education does not directly result in decent employment. It is the match between the skills demanded in the labor market and those taught that leads to decent jobs. Moreover, education systems cannot operate in a vacuum: policies and institutions must support the utilization of newly acquired skills.

This conference aims to provide a platform for leading scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to reflect and discuss the drivers of high-quality education and training and improving working conditions for youth, especially in developing countries. We invite contributions from economics and the social sciences that address the following topics:  

• Factors encouraging the participation of youth in education
• Conditions enhancing decent work for youth
• The role of firms in improving education and skills for youth
• Firm incentives for providing decent work for youth
• Policies that improve access to quality secondary, tertiary education and vocational education and training
• Policies that improve working conditions for youth
• Policies linking education and labour markets
• Institutions and governance topics related to education and working conditions
• Success factors and barriers to education reforms
• Measuring the skills of youth in low-income countries
• Designing and implementing surveys measuring individual and firm outcomes