Stefan C. Wolter

Stefan C. Wolter serves as Titular Professor for Economics of Education at the University of Bern's Economics Department and has been Director of the Swiss Coordination Centre for Research in Education (SKBF|CSRE) in Aarau since 1999. He also holds positions as Co-Director of the Leading House on Economics of Education, Firm Behaviour and Training Policies (with Prof. U. Backes-Gellner, University of Zurich) since 2005, Research Fellow of IZA Bonn since 2000, and Research Fellow of CESifo in Munich since 2003. His academic journey includes guest professorships at the University of Basel (since 2015), University of Fribourg (2011), and University of Trier (2003), along with visiting researcher positions at Harvard Graduate School of Education (2012) and CESifo Munich (2008).

Wolter's research interests center on the economics of education, with particular focus on vocational education and training systems, labor market policy, apprenticeship training, and educational economics. His work examines how educational systems interact with labor markets, the economic returns to different forms of education, and policy implications for educational systems. He has conducted extensive comparative research on vocational training systems across countries, with special attention to the Swiss dual education system.

His publication record shows a clear evolution from foundational work on labor economics and education financing toward contemporary issues including AI's impact on occupational choices, gender disparities in career paths, and the effects of digital transformation on education systems. Recent publications increasingly address how technological change, demographic shifts, and social norms influence educational and career trajectories.

• Co-Director, Leading House on Economics of Education (2005-present)
• Research Fellow, IZA Bonn (2000-present)
• Research Fellow, CESifo Munich (2003-present)
• Editor-in-Chief, Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training (2009-present)

Wolter has secured significant research funding through his leadership roles in major research initiatives and has advised numerous governmental bodies including the OECD, where he served on the Governing Board of the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) since 1999. His work bridges academic research and policy implementation, particularly in vocational education reform.

He leads the Centre for Research in Economics of Education at the University of Bern, which conducts interdisciplinary research on education systems, labor market outcomes, and policy evaluation. The center collaborates with international research institutions and regularly contributes to policy discussions at national and international levels.