Econometric Game 2009
The Econometric Game 2009 was the tenth edition of what has come to be known as a unique concept. For precisely a decade, the VSAE organizes the arrival of the most talented young econometricians in order to let them compete against one another to solve a highly complex econometric case. The edition of 2009 was a highly successful one and can rightly be labeled a benchmark edition for future editions.
To start with, the number of participants has never been higher than during the Econometric Game 2009. Among them, ‘old friends’ that have experienced the evolution of the Econometric Game right from the beginning, but also universities that had their first Econometric Game experience! In particular, the debut of New York University, Boston University and Monash University made that, for the first time in Econometric Game history, participants from three different continents participated. Therefore, the Econometric Game can rightfully be labeled a global event! In total, there were 27 teams such that 135 highly talented econometricians visited Amsterdam from the 7th until the 9th of April.
For the first time in the history of the Econometric Game, the event lasted for three days. Whereas the first editions only lasted for a single day, most of the previous editions lasted two years. However, due to the increasing number of participating universities, the Econometric Game Committee 2009 decided to introduce a third day. This obviously had implications for the day-to-day schedule of the participants. In particular, the teams were challenged to solve two challenging cases concerning child mortality. Both cases were the result of cooperation between University of Amsterdam professors and UNICEF.
Obviously, the Econometric Game 2009 begun with a formal opening ceremony, presented by Econometric Game 2009 chairman Daniella Brals. During the ceremony, mr. M. Wijne (UNICEF), mr. H. Nauss (ING) and prof. dr. J. F. Kievit (case maker and University of Amsterdam professor) all gave presentations. To formally introduce the topic, all teams were provided introductory papers during the first day.
On the beginning of the second day, the teams actually started working on the first case, written by dr. J. C. M. van Ophem (University of Amsterdam professor). The case explored the relation between the number of children and the number of deceased children within families in a dataset consisting of Indian demographics. In the late afternoon, all teams handed in their written reports and left them in the hands of an experienced jury. The jury consisted of prof. dr. J. F. Kiviet (University of Amsterdam), dr. J. C. M. van Ophem (University of Amsterdam), prof. J. B. Ramsey (New York University), dr. C. G. H. Diks (University of Amsterdam) and dr. M. P. Pradhan (University of Amsterdam) and prof. dr. T. J. Wansbeek. They argued that the following universities were allowed to participate during the third day (in random order of course): Cambridge University, Maastricht University, Tilburg University, University College London, University of Aarhus, Corvinus University of Budapest, University of Warsaw, Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, Humboldt University of Berlin, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Consequently, only ten teams started working on the second case, which treated the decline in infant mortality in Brazil. The ten finalists were asked to provide both a written report for the jury as well as a verbal presentation of their results for all the teams, the jury and interested people from the University of Amsterdam. The Econometric Game 2009 was closed with a party at the Heffer during which the award ceremony took place. Chairman Daniella Brals announced that third and second place was won by Cambridge University and Maastricht University respectively. In the end, however, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid took first place and can righteously be named Winner of the Econometric Game 2009!
Looking back, the Econometric Game 2009 was a great success and a benchmark for future editions!
The cases that have been resolved in the edition of 2009 can be found here:
Econometric Game 2009 – Case A
Econometric Game 2009 – Case B
Participating universities at the Econometric Game 2009:
1. Monash University
2. Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
3. University of Economics, Prague
4. University of Aarhus
5. University of Copenhagen
6. University of Cambridge
7. University of Oxford
8. New York University
9. Boston University
10. Humboldt University of Berlin
11. University of Dortmund
12. Leibniz University Hannover
13. University of Pireaus
14. Central European University
15. Corvinus University of Budapest
16. Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration
17. University of Warsaw
18. Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
19. Comenius University
20. Erasmus University Rotterdam
21. Maastricht University
22. Tilburg University
23. University of Amsterdam
24. London School of Economics
25. University College London
26. University of Exeter
