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

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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. 48/26 - February 2026

Host Country Language and School Integration of Immigrant Students

Yu Qin, Michael Vlassopoulos, Jackline Wahba

No. 47/26 - February 2026

Long–Run Effects of Technological Change: The Impact of Automation on Intergenerational Mobility

Martin Olsson, Fredrik Heyman

No. 46/26 - February 2026

Delayed Retirement: Effects on Health and Healthcare Utilization

Rune Vejlin, Hans Sigaard, Michael Svarer, Anne Katrine Borgbjerg

No. 45/26 - February 2026

Stephen versus Stephanie? Does Gender Matter for Peer-to-Peer Career Advice

Warn N. Lekfuangfu, Grace Lordan

Research Insights

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

No. 2/26 - February 2026

Too Old to Apply for a Job? How Age Limits in Job Ads Shape Who Applies

As populations age, keeping people in work later in life has become an economic necessity. Yet many older job seekers still face substantial barriers to reemployment.

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No. 1/26 - January 2026

From Steam Power to Artificial Intelligence: What the Past Can Teach Us About the Future of Work

Regional inequalities remain a central issue in public and policy debates. Where do such disparities originate? And what policies can reduce them? A new study traces these inequalities back to the introduction of a transformative technology: the steam engine.

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No. 5/25 - December 2025

Immigration, Jobs and Wages: Separating Regional and Worker Effects

How does immigration affect jobs and wages? Public debates often conflate regional labour market outcomes with the experiences of individual workers. The effects of immigration on “places” and “people” may differ considerably.

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News

RFBerlin research and researchers are regularly featured in the press.

Press

21 Jan 2026

From Steam to AI: RFBerlin Research Featured in Media
View article
Press release

15 Jan 2026

The steam engine still drives the German economy – Lessons for the introduction of artificial intelligence
View article
Press

27 Dec 2025 • DIE ZEIT

Claudia Goldin on Why Pay Transparency Alone Is Not Enough
View article
Press release

16 Dec 2025

Do Immigrants Take Natives’ Jobs? New Study Shows the Answer Depends on How You Measure It
View article

Tweets by @RF_Berlin

🧠New RFBerlin Research Insight!
👥 @luo_qinyue, @LiaoliangZ & Xinhan Zhang

Using a unique setting in China where age caps in job ads are legal, this study reveals how explicit age requirements shape who applies, and who doesn’t.

One of the surprising findings? Even younger

New RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
@VirginiaMinni, Kieu-Trang Nguyen, Heather Sarsons & @CarlaSrebot show how managers transmit gender norms at work. Who sets the norms inside firms?
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26040.pdf

New RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
@FenellaCarpena & Simon Galle study how technical change affects workers across occupations. The mechanisms behind adjustment matter.
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26039.pdf

New RFBerlin Discussion Paper!
Jim Albrecht, Per-Anders Edin, Raquel Fernandez, Jiwon Lee, Peter Skogman Thoursie & Susan Vroman analyze how parental leave shapes norms. Can policy change culture as well as behavior?
🔗 https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26038.pdf

Upcoming events

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

RFBerlin Applied Economics Seminar

27 February 2026

Philip Oreopoulos (University of Toronto)

TBA

RFBerlin Masterclass

12 Mar – 13 Mar 2026

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

RFBerlin Applied Economics Seminar

13 March 2026

Fredric Kong (MIT)

TBA

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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