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Research Center

International Finance

The Research Center studies global financial markets and sovereign debt problems in an increasingly multipolar world. We focus on classic research topics in international finance, such as capital flows, the international financial architecture, and sovereign debt and default, and combine this with questions of geoeconomics, thus exploring the interplay of cross-border finance and geopolitical risk.

We address these questions with a wealth of rich, granular data, which we often self-collect from archives and other non-standard sources. Many of our projects take a long-term perspective, drawing on decades or even centuries of data. This enables us to look beyond the past decades of relative stability and peace to an era in which geopolitical tensions, wars and crises were the norm.

Directors

  • Prof. Dr. Sebastian Horn
    Research Director
  • Prof. Dr. Cathrin Mohr
    Research Director
  • Prof. Dr. Christoph Trebesch
    Research Director

Publications

Publication highlights and recent academic publications in citable form:

Go to publication list

  • Project

    The then Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa visits China, 14 - 15 Jul 2015

    China in Africa: Exploring the Consequences for Economic and Social Development

    The research project studies the effects that China’s growing economic engagement has on African economies, and how China’s economic presence is…

  • Project

    Cluster for Economic Research on Africa

    The Cluster for Economic Research on Africa focuses on enterprises and entrepreneurial potential in African markets, trade and investment policy, and…

  • News

    11.02.2026

    Two soldiers in camouflage uniform standing during a break under the rain near the tracks of an armoured tank, only the trousers and the boots are visible

    Ukraine support after 4 years of war: Europe steps up

    Despite the halt of US support, the total volume of aid allocated to Ukraine remained relatively stable in 2025, primarily due to the markedly…

  • News

    18.12.2025

    Military soldier controls drone for reconnaissance operation of enemy positions

    Rearming for deterrence and war: First debt, then higher taxes

    Current NATO rearmament plans could lead to permanently higher taxes in member states, according to a new analysis by the Kiel Institute based on a…

  • News

    10.12.2025

    Pallets of 155mm artillery ammunition

    Ukraine Support Tracker: Europe fails to offset US aid drop

    New aid allocations in 2025 might drop to their lowest level since the outbreak of the war in 2022. Europe allocated only about EUR 4.2 billion in new…

  • 29 – 30 Apr

    2026

    LSE–Kiel–CEPR Conference on Defence Economics

    Londons School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE)

  • 30 – 31 Oct

    2025

    Joint Conference Kiel Institute and CEPR in Paris

    4th Kiel-CEPR Conference on Geoeconomics

    Sciences Po Department of Economics

  • 25 Jul

    2025

    Workshop

    Behavioral Economics

    Hybrid / Kiel Institut für Weltwirtschaft, Standort Berlin

  • 17 – 18 Jul

    2025

    China in the Global Economy - 2nd Kiel-Göttingen-CEPR Conference

    Leibniz Association

  • 10 Jul

    2025

    Workshop

    Geoeconomics

    Kiel Institut für Weltwirtschaft, Standort Berlin

Team

  • Paulina Alibhai
    Kiel Institute Researcher
  • Lukas Franz
    Kiel Institute Researcher
  • Prof. Dr. Sebastian Horn
    Research Director
  • David Kläffling
    Kiel Institut Researcher
  • Johannes Marzian
    Kiel Institute Researcher
  • Prof. Dr. Cathrin Mohr
    Research Director
  • Taro Nishikawa
    Kiel Institute Researcher
  • Michael Porcellacchia, Ph.D.
    Kiel Institute Researcher
  • Prof. Dr. Christoph Trebesch
    Research Director
  • Anna Vorwig
    Kiel Institut Researcher

Fellows

  • Dr. Pietro Bomprezzi
    Kiel Institute Fellow
  • Dr. Manuel Funke
    Kiel Institute Fellow
  • David Mihalyi
    Kiel Institute Fellow
  • Prof. Kris Mitchener, Ph.D.
    Kiel Institute Fellow
  • Benjamin Wache, PhD
    Kiel Institute Fellow
  • Associ. Prof. Kirsten Wandschneider, Ph.D.
    Kiel Institute Fellow
  • Ivan Kharitonov
    Kiel Institute Junior Fellow