Ludger Wößmann

Ludger Wößmann serves as Professor of Economics with a specialization in Education Economics at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) and directs the ifo Center for the Economics of Education. He has held his professorship at LMU since May 2006 and has led the ifo Center since January 2004. His academic affiliations include the Center for Economic Studies (CES) and the Faculty of Economics at LMU. Wößmann maintains strong connections with international research institutions through numerous visiting positions at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

Wößmann's research interests span multiple interconnected fields in economics, with Education Economics at the core of his work. He investigates how education impacts economic prosperity both individually and societally, examining both historical and contemporary contexts. His work explores how institutional frameworks of school systems affect educational efficiency and equity. Beyond education, he has made significant contributions to Economic History, Religion Economics, and Internet Economics. His methodological approach primarily employs microeconometric techniques applied to international student assessments and large-scale datasets.

His extensive publication record demonstrates consistent scholarly impact across leading economics journals. His research trends show a progression from foundational work on educational production and human capital to increasingly policy-relevant studies on educational inequality, skill formation, and the economic consequences of educational policies. Recent work increasingly incorporates behavioral economics perspectives, examining how patience, risk-taking, and other behavioral factors influence educational outcomes.

• Hermann-Heinrich-Gossen-Preis
• Gustav-Stolper-Preis of the Verein für Socialpolitik
• Young Economist Award of the European Economic Association
• EIB Prize of the European Investment Bank
• Choppin Memorial Award of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement

As Director of the ifo Center for the Economics of Education, Wößmann leads a major research hub focused on empirical studies of educational systems and policies. His grant portfolio includes significant funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG), the European Commission, the Smith Richardson Foundation, and various private foundations. His recent projects examine mentoring programs for disadvantaged youth, international comparative education policy, and the economic impacts of educational quality. Wößmann has organized the annual CESifo Area Conference on the Economics of Education since 2009, creating a key forum for international scholarly exchange in the field.

Wößmann's leadership extends to the ifo Education Survey, a major longitudinal dataset on public preferences for education policy in Germany, and the ifo Education Barometer, which tracks German public opinion on educational issues. His work often bridges academic research and policy implementation through collaborations with government bodies and educational institutions.