The Institute was established in 1967 under the name of “Institute for the Research of International Economic Outlook”, as a budgetary entity, with legal personality (H.C.M. no. 904/20.04.1967). In the year 1976, after the reorganization, it became the “Institute for World Economy - IWE” (Decree no. 426/27.12.1976).

During 1967-1990, the Institute was subordinated to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and elaborated hundreds of studies and syntheses that represented an important support for promoting Romanian products on foreign markets.

In parallel with this activity, the Institute for World Economy, having one of the best equipped libraries from Romania, has provided broad access for specialists (professors, researchers, journalists, historians) and students, most of them completing their books, research papers or dissertations at IWE. Under the aegis of the Institute, there have been published numerous books and university courses which formed the basis for the professional development of many generations of students, especially from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies. Externally, IWE developed a cooperation network with similar institutes from Eastern and Western Europe, but also China and Russia, the interacademic exchanges being a beneficial practice which permitted a better understanding of the realities of those countries.  

For 20 years, the Institute had the chance to be led by Professor Costin Murgescu, also corresponding member of the Romanian Academy, who dedicated the most prolific years of his career to offer guidance to hundreds of talented young graduates.

This is the reason why after December 1989, many elite researchers have assumed major responsibilities in public and private institutions from Romania and abroad, on the basis of their valuable knowledge and experience gathered during their years at the IWE, when they benefited from a solid professional training under the guidance of professor Costin Murgescu. After 1990, IWE became an integrated part of the National Institute for Economic Researches (INCE/NIER) as a component unit of the fundamental research system from the Romanian Academy (G.D. no. 505/10.05.1990). IWE has concluded numerous cooperation agreements with national and foreign research institutes and universities. IWE is also a member of the Executive Committee of EADI (European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes).

Management team

Director: Simona Moagăr – Poladian, Senior Research Fellow, PhD

Scientific Director: Napoleon Pop, Senior Research Fellow, PhD

Actual mission and objectives

The Institute for World Economy has been studying the global economy and the challenges of adjusting to a changing international environment on three major levels: 1) world economic situation, including analysis of macroeconomic indicators, country comparisons, International commodity markets, the relative economic and technological capabilities of states; 2) macroeconomic policies and development, global economic agenda, energy security, sustainable development, environmental and technological changes; 3) geostrategic positioning, the regional and global balance of power.

The fundamental and applied research conducted at the IWE includes all the three levels of research through theoretical conceptualization, qualitative comparative analyses and case studies. The task of studying and interpreting the information related to the outlook of the world economy aims also at offering the Romanian authorities syntheses and recommendations in the decision making process. The IWE’s studies include but are not limited to the following topics:

● Economic situation of countries and groups of countries, interpretation of macroeconomic indicators;

● International trade and investment flows;

● Global agenda, reform of the institutional architecture, development issues, world migration, sustainable development, climate change and the circular economy; competitiveness and innovation; the 4th industrial revolution;

● Regional integration, alliances and preferential partnerships, their scale, scope and rationale; European integration and governance, active participation of Romania to the European construction as a member state of the European Union;

● BRICS and the US-EU-Japan triad;

● China-EU relations; the impact of TTIP and TPP negotiations on the EU - China economic cooperation; China’s economic rebalancing and its international impact; One Belt-One Road and the 16+1 platform; prospects of the Romanian - Chinese economic cooperation in the post-crisis economy; Romanian and Chinese approaches regarding models of economic growth and development.  

Potential cooperation areas in the framework of the 16+1 Think Tanks Network

We intend to:

● Exchange academic information and research papers with the members of the platform;

● Conduct joint research projects;

Publish research papers in journals coordinated by member institutions. Our IWE coordinates also internationally indexed reviews such as Global Economic Observer (http://www.globeco.ro/), Journal of Global Economics (http://iem.ro/rem/https://en.17plus1-thinktank.cn/index.html/REM), National Strategies Observer (https://ideas.repec.org/s/iem/nosiem.html) etc.

● Organize round tables, conferences, seminars and meetings on the triple helix principle, with the participation of representatives from the university/academic environment, industry and government, in order to find viable solutions for common issues in Europe and China.

Representative:

Simona Moagăr – Poladian, Senior Research Fellow, PhD

Director of the Institute for World Economy

Contact person:

Iulia Monica Oehler-Şincai, Senior Research Fellow, PhD