I had the opportunity to take part in the Winter School in Economics at the University of Verona, an intensive program bringing together researchers and students working on topics related to inequality, public policy, and applied microeconomics.

The school provided an excellent environment to deepen my knowledge, engage with new methodologies, and discuss ongoing research with participants from different backgrounds. The combination of lectures and interactive sessions created a highly stimulating learning experience.

During the program, I also presented a poster based on my joint work with Eva Sierminska, “Tuition, Debt, and Wealth: The Hidden Insurance Role of Education Finance.” The project explores how education-financing systems shape both educational attainment and long-term household wealth across countries.

Our findings suggest that education finance plays an important insurance role: while well-developed student support systems increase access to higher education, lower tuition levels may reduce the need for precautionary savings, leading to lower wealth accumulation over the life cycle.

I am grateful for the inspiring lectures, insightful discussions, and the opportunity to exchange ideas with such a great group of participants—this experience has been incredibly valuable for my research development.