Klaus Wälde

Prof. Klaus Wälde is a Professor of Economics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany, affiliated with the Faculty of Management and Economics. He holds additional roles as a Fellow at IZA Bonn and an Extra-mural Fellow at Université catholique de Louvain. His research focuses on labour markets, emotional economics, and public policy, with notable work on Germany's Hartz Reforms and work-life balance dynamics.

• Education: PhD in Economics (1994, Kiel), Diplom-Wirtschaftsingenieur (1991, Karlsruhe), and studies in Economics at Bordeaux.
• Previous positions include professorships at the University of Glasgow, University of Würzburg, and Technische Universität Dresden, as well as roles at the European Commission and World Bank.

Teaching expertise spans macroeconomics, behavioural theory, and applied intertemporal optimization. He co-authored Applied Intertemporal Optimization and frequently presents at international institutions. Research interests also include international trade, business cycles, and cognitive/noncognitive skills' economic impacts.

• Recent visiting roles: Università La Sapienza (Rome, 2022), University of Kent (2021), and IZA Bonn (2020).

His work integrates emotional and social factors into economics, emphasizing compassion and self-knowledge. Advising and mentoring are central to his academic activity, supported by collaborations in interdisciplinary research groups.