Homepage

We conduct independent research into significant challenges to the economy, society and the welfare state in a global world.

About us

Work with us

Become part of our research team

Join as a PhD student

Join as a postdoc

Research

Learn more

The ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin Institute for the Economy and the Future of Work (RFBerlin) engages in research designed to raise the standard of public debate and create the best possible basis for policy making.

Discussion papers

No. 154/25 - December 2025

How Initial Accommodation Shapes Refugee Integration: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from the Ukrainian Displacement Crisis in Denmark

Mette Foged, Jens Hainmueller, Mikkel Stahlschmidt, Edith Zink

View paper

No. 153/25 - December 2025

Identification and Estimation of Continuous-Time Job Search Models with Preference Shocks

Peter Arcidiacono, Attila Gyetvai, Arnaud Maurel, Ekaterina Jardim

View paper

No. 152/25 - December 2025

From Root Causes to Shared Gains: Migration Policy for Low-Income Countries in a Labor-Scarce World

Michael A. Clemens

View paper

No. 151/25 - December 2025

Online Tutoring, School Performance, and School-to-Work Transitions: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial

Silke Anger, Bernhard Christoph, Agata Galkiewicz, Shushanik Margaryan, Malte Sandner, Thomas Siedler

View paper

View all Discussion Papers

Research Insights

Concise, research-based articles for scholars,
policymakers, and anyone curious about the world.

All Research Insights

No. 5/25 - December 2025

Immigration, Jobs and Wages: Separating Regional and Worker Effects

Short summary Immigration affects regions more than individual workers How does immigration affect jobs and wages? Public debates often conflate regional labour market outcomes with the experiences of individual workers. Analyzing a German cross-border commuting policy after the fall of the Berlin...

Learn more

No. 6/25 - December 2025

Migration, Beschäftigung und Löhne: Regionale und individuelle Effekte

Kurzzusammenfassung Migration beeinflusst Regionen stärker als einzelne Arbeitnehmer Wie wirkt sich Migration auf Arbeitsplätze und Löhne aus? In öffentlichen Debatten werden Effekte auf regionale Arbeitsmärkte häufig mit den individuellen Erfahrungen von Arbeitnehmern vermischt. Diese Studie nutzt eine Regelung, als nach...

Learn more

No. 4/25 - November 2025

When Offshore Money Comes Home: The Hidden Effects of Anti-Laundering Crackdowns

Using data that connect U.S. businesses to foreign financial networks, the researchers reveal how tougher anti–laundering measures abroad reshaped the flow of illicit funds at home.

Opportunity Trade

Learn more

News

RFBerlin research and researchers are regularly featured in the press.

View all press

Press release

17 Nov 2025

Panama Papers: Closing money laundering channels risks fuelling activity in others

Read now

Research Insights

17 Nov 2025

When Offshore Money Comes Home: The Hidden Effects of Anti-Laundering Crackdowns

Read now

Press

14 Nov 2025 • WirtschaftsWoche

If you don’t look ahead, you’ll stagnate – Claudia Goldin

View article

Press

10 Nov 2025 • Oiger

Historical traces of division: Sascha Becker on East-West differences in Germany

View article

Tweets by @RF_Berlin

ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @rf_berlin ·

10 Dec

1/5 🆕 RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
@jakobBeu analyzes how the design of personal debt-restructuring programs affects labor market outcomes.
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/25146.pdf

Reply on Twitter 1998687590875099220 Retweet on Twitter 1998687590875099220 1 Like on Twitter 1998687590875099220 2

ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @rf_berlin ·

9 Dec

🆕 RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
Mika Akesaka & @HitoshiShigeoka show evidence from 22M students in Japan that heat harms learning far more for low-performing (and lower-SES) students, widening inequality.
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/25145.pdf

Reply on Twitter 1998417334067958100 Retweet on Twitter 1998417334067958100 2 Like on Twitter 1998417334067958100 3

ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @rf_berlin ·

9 Dec

🆕 RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
@sofoklis_goulas, @rmegal & @SartoriTommaso explore the unequal distribution of teachers’ attention and its consequences for student achievement.
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/25144.pdf

Reply on Twitter 1998416436142932120 Retweet on Twitter 1998416436142932120 2 Like on Twitter 1998416436142932120 1

ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @rf_berlin ·

9 Dec

🆕 RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
@david_gstrein, Florian Neumeier, @APeichl & @P_Zamorski provide a comprehensive analysis of corporate tax incidence across capitalists, workers, and landlords.
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/25143.pdf

Reply on Twitter 1998415873250631887 Retweet on Twitter 1998415873250631887 1 Like on Twitter 1998415873250631887 3

Upcoming events

RFBerlin hosts a wide array of events aimed at fostering academic research and collaboration.

RFBerlin Masterclass

12 Mar – 13 Mar 2026

“Tasks At Work: Comparative Advantage, Technology and Labor Demand” by Fredric Kong

RFBerlin Event

26 Mar – 27 Mar 2026

RFBerlin Migration Forum

Migration: Drivers, Consequences, and Governance

Conference

16 Apr – 17 Apr 2026

Health and Economic Well-Being: Evidence, Policy, and Frontiers

View all events

Handbook of Labor Economics – Chapter Previews

In anticipation of the upcoming Handbook of Labor Economics, we offer early access to select chapters through our Discussion Papers series. Following our 2023 conference on this new edition, first chapters are now available for preview, featuring insights from leading research in economics and labor.

We conduct independent research into significant challenges to the economy, society and the welfare state in a global world.

Become part of our research team

Research

Equity, Inclusion & Opportunity

Migration & Global Collaboration

Technology, Trade & Human Capital

Discussion papers

Research Insights

Immigration, Jobs and Wages: Separating Regional and Worker Effects

Migration, Beschäftigung und Löhne: Regionale und individuelle Effekte

When Offshore Money Comes Home: The Hidden Effects of Anti-Laundering Crackdowns

News

Panama Papers: Closing money laundering channels risks fuelling activity in others

When Offshore Money Comes Home: The Hidden Effects of Anti-Laundering Crackdowns

If you don’t look ahead, you’ll stagnate – Claudia Goldin

Historical traces of division: Sascha Becker on East-West differences in Germany

Upcoming events

RFBerlin Masterclass

“Tasks At Work: Comparative Advantage, Technology and Labor Demand” by Fredric Kong

RFBerlin Event

RFBerlin Migration Forum

Conference

Health and Economic Well-Being: Evidence, Policy, and Frontiers

Handbook of Labor Economics – Chapter Previews

Sign up to our newsletter