Robert Fenge

Robert Fenge is a Professor of Public Finance at the University of Rostock, where he holds the Chair of Public Economics. His research focuses on the economic theory of federal systems, fiscal policy, and public finance mechanisms within multi-level governance structures.

Professor Fenge's research interests center on how federal structures impact economic policy effectiveness. His work examines unemployment insurance systems in state unions, higher education financing models, and the economic implications of fiscal federalism. He has developed significant insights regarding the principle that fiscally linked institutions should be organized at the same federal level, either all centralized or all decentralized, for optimal efficiency.

His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on efficiency questions in federal systems. The research shows how student mobility affects national education quality decisions, how unemployment insurance systems function differently under centralized versus decentralized collective bargaining arrangements, and the theoretical foundations of federal organization. His work often employs two-country modeling approaches to examine cross-border economic phenomena.

Professor Fenge leads a research team including Henrik Carlhoff, Helena Witschel, and Anja Mönk, and organizes the Rostock Talks series on state, economy, and society. He is actively involved in teaching, offering project seminars on the Economic Theory of Federalism and contributing to academic discourse through position papers on current policy issues including Germany's debt brake and basic pension proposals.