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Research

Fact of the day

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.

Equity, Inclusion & Opportunity
Equity, Inclusion & Opportunity
Migration & Global Collaboration
Migration & Global Collaboration
Technology, Trade & Human Capital
Technology, Trade & Human Capital

Discussion papers

No. 122/26 - April 2026

Automation and the Changing Composition of Skill Demand

Mark Hellsten, Giuseppe Pulito, Sarah Schroeder

No. 121/26 - April 2026

Trends and Structure of Educational Assortative Mating

Edoardo Ciscato

No. 120/26 - April 2026

Asymmetric Fertility Elasticities

Sam Engle, Chong Pang, Anson Zhou

No. 119/26 - April 2026

Cultural Adaptation and the Uneven Emergence of Large-Scale Cooperation

Oded Galor

Research Insights

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

No. 10/26 - April 2026

Unlucky Migrants: Migrating During a Recession Can Lower Immigrants’ Earnings for More Than a Decade

Does the state of the economy matter when immigrants arrive in a host country? Our study shows that it does – and the effects can last for years.

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No. 9/26 - March 2026

Will AI Make Workers Better Off?

Will generative AI mainly replace workers, or will it increase living standards? This study responds “yes” to both.

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No. 8/26 - March 2026

Working Longer and Staying Healthy? Insights from Increasing Danish Retirement Ages

Many countries are currently increasing retirement ages due to aging populations. A key concern remains: will this have negative health consequences?

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CReAM Reports

Data-driven reports on migration and related economic and social trends, highlighting the latest developments across Europe and beyond.

No. 4/25 - October 2025

From Syria to Ukraine: Refugee Inflows and Trends in the European Union

The EU refugee population rose from about 1 million in 2014 to 7.8 million in 2024, driven by Syria and then the larger post-2022 Ukraine inflow. Germany remains the main host, but growth has been faster and uneven across countries, increasing pressure on asylum systems.

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No. 3/25 - July 2025

Employment of Migrants in the European Union

Employment in the EU has risen for all groups. EU migrants have the highest rates, non-EU migrants have improved but still lag, mainly due to lower employment among non-EU women, while men’s rates are similar across groups.

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No. 2/25 - June 2025

Education of Migrants in the European Union

Tertiary education among EU migrants has risen steadily, with EU migrants nearing native levels and non-EU migrants closing the gap. Differences remain across countries and groups, with women generally more educated than men.

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News

RFBerlin research and researchers are regularly featured in the press.

Press

30 Mar 2026

German Media Mentions RFBerlin Insight on How Germany Could Raise Its Low Birth Rate
View article
Press

26 Mar 2026 • Handelsblatt

Christian Dustmann Highlights Implementation Challenges in Germany’s Reform Debate
View article
Press release

23 Mar 2026

Income Tax Reform Could Boost Birth Rates in Germany
View article
Press

16 Mar 2026 • F.A.Z.

Christian Dustmann on the Role of Diaspora Networks in Shaping Migration Patterns
View article

Tweets by @RF_Berlin

🧠New RFBerlin Research Insight!

Who manages your team shapes more than performance, it shapes culture. New research by @VirginiaMinni, Kieu-Trang Nguyen, Heather Sarsons and @CarlaSrebot shows gender-progressive foreign managers narrow the gender pay gap by ~20%, and those

El número de inmigrantes que viven en la UE bate récord en 2025, con 64 millones frente a l40 millones en 2010, según estudio de @RF_Berlin Alemania sigue siendo el principal destino pero España el que más rápido crece, casi igualando ya a Francia.

🧠New RFBerlin Research Insight!

Foreign wars sometimes boost leaders’ popularity at home.

A study by Mikael Elinder, Oscar Erixson & @ollehammar examines Russian public opinion before and after the invasion, revealing a powerful rally effect that reshaped attitudes far beyond

📄 New RFBerlin Discussion Papers: stay updated with recent findings 👇
From migration choices to AI, housing, and well-being: here’s a tour of our latest research 🧵

Upcoming events

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

RFBerlin Applied Economics Seminar

20 May 2026

Jacob Moscona (MIT)

TBA

RFBerlin Applied Economics Seminar

26 May 2026

Isaac Sorkin (Stanford University)

TBA

RFBerlin Event

11 Jun – 12 Jun 2026

RFBerlin-CEPR Annual Symposium in Labour Economics 2026

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.

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