Judith Clifton

Judith Clifton is a Full Professor of Economic and Public Policy at the University of Cantabria's Faculty of Business & Economic Sciences. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Economic Policy Reform and Co-Editor of the Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy & Society. Her research focuses on public services reform, public banking (especially the European Investment Bank), and blockchain's role in governance. She leads the Horizon Europe-funded GreenPaths project (2023-26, €3M), exploring just transitions to sustainability, and previously directed the Horizon2020-funded TOKEN project (2020-23, €4M) on blockchain in public sectors.

Clifton holds a DPhil in Political Economy from the University of Oxford (1998) and a Master's in Contemporary International Studies (Leeds, Distinction). She has held prestigious fellowships including the Jean Monnet Chair (2017-2020), Fulbright (Cornell), and Ramón y Cajal. She has advised the World Bank, UN, OECD, and EU institutions, and served on Horizon 2020 evaluation panels.

Her research explores how governments reform public services (health, education, energy) in response to crises like austerity and climate change. She analyzes the European financial architecture's evolution post-2008 crisis and advocates for equitable green transitions. Her work also examines digital government transformation and public banks' roles in fostering sustainable development.

Clifton's publications span over 100 articles in top journals like Journal of European Public Policy and Public Management Review, plus co-edited books. Her work has earned best-paper awards and influenced policy debates in Europe and Latin America.