A new global association led by University of Michigan economist Dean Yang aims to strengthen the field of development economics.
The International Development Economics Association, or IDEA—the first global, open, and democratically governed professional association for development economists—has been established to advance the global production and dissemination of rigorous economic research. Its founding principles emphasize a more inclusive forum for development scholars, welcoming economists from all regions of the world, intellectual traditions, and methodological approaches.
Nearly 90 development economists from more than 40 countries laid the groundwork beginning in 2025 and adopted the association's bylaws in January 2026. In April 2026, IDEA seated its first elected Board of Directors, with Yang as president. IDEA has also established a three-year partnership with the Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD).
"Development economics is one of the largest and most globally consequential fields in economics, yet it has never had an open, democratically governed professional home of its own," Yang said. "We founded IDEA to build that home — one that welcomes development economists everywhere, at every career stage and in every country, and that brings the field closer to the low- and middle-income countries where these questions matter most."
IDEA's mission is to advance development economics worldwide by:
- fostering scholarly exchange and professional interaction among development economists, practitioners, and policymakers;
- supporting research, teaching, and career development at all stages;
- sponsoring conferences, publications, and programs that enhance understanding of economic development; and
- promoting the field's contributions to global development challenges.
IDEA is open to all who work in or study development economics—at any career stage, in any country, and across all intellectual traditions and methodological approaches—with particular attention to scholars in low- and middle-income countries.
IDEA opens to the public on June 24, 2026. Development economists worldwide are invited to join the community at idea.devecon.org.
IDEA Board of Directors, 2026-2028:
- President: Dean Yang, University of Michigan
- Secretary-Treasurer: Tarun Jain, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
- Africa Representative: Edward Asiedu, University of Ghana
- Asia Representative: Farah Said, Lahore University of Management Sciences
- Europe Representative: Dina Pomeranz, University of Zurich
- Latin America Representative: Giorgio Chiovelli, Universidad de Montevideo
- North America Representative: Owen Ozier, Williams College
- Oceania Representative: Ashani Amarasinghe, University of Sydney
- At-Large Director: Emily Beam, University of Vermont
- At-Large Director: Giacomo De Giorgi, University of Geneva
- At-Large Director: Eric Edmonds, Dartmouth College
- At-Large Director: Paolo Falco, University of Copenhagen
- At-Large Director: Willa Friedman, University of Houston
- At-Large Director: Ethan Ligon, UC Berkeley
- At-Large Director: Nishith Prakash, Northeastern University