Introduction to Public Policy Summer Academy

• Students will gain an introduction to the policy making process and the role of the policy maker in designing, implementing and evaluating public policies.  Each step in this process requires rigorous data analysis. Students will develop basic analytical tools and apply them in a hands-on policy analysis culminating in a capstone presentation. The afternoon Action Lab will guide students through the process in using data to make the case for a policy of their choosing.  
• Topics to be covered in class include defining and measuring well-being and ethical issues related to public policies, a description of the tools of the policy maker including monetary and non-monetary incentives, behavioral tools, conditionality in policies, and targeted policies.  Basic economic concepts important to policy makers will be described and discussed.   

• This program is for high school students passionate about societal change, public policy, data analysis, and making a difference in the world. No prior experience in policy studies or economics is required—just a desire to learn and make an impact
• Available for current high school students who are at least 15 years old 
• Students with a strong background in writing, reading, and disciplined research and work habits 
• The program's medium of instruction will be in English, so students should be comfortable in an English-speaking learning environment 
• Applicants must be Hong Kong residents or be eligible to study in Hong Kong during the program period 

Classes will be held Monday through Friday from 9:30 to 12:15 and the Action Lab will be held from 13:15 to 14:30. While each day varies slightly in format, a typical day includes:  

• 9:30 to 10:45 – Lecture  
• 10:45 to 11:00 – Mid-morning break  
• 11:00 to 12:15 – Lecture  
• 12:15 to 13:15 – Lunch  
• 13:15 to 14:30 – Action Lab  
• 14:30 to 16:00 – Campus available for optional group or individual work  

Excursions & Guest Speakers: Special events will be integrated throughout the program to provide additional real-world perspectives.  

Capstone Presentations: The program concludes with individual and group presentations during the final two days.  

• Introduction to public policies 
• Evidence in the policy-making process 
• Types of policies and implementation tools 
• Designing policies and their implementation 
• Economic concepts in public policy  
• Analyzing policies and data visualization 

Susan E. Mayer, Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and the College, served as dean of Harris from 2002 to 2009. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on the measurement of poverty, the effect of growing up in poor neighborhoods, and the effect of parental income on children's well-being. She is currently doing research on intergenerational economic mobility and on using behavioral insights to help low-income adults become better parents.  

Mayer has been a member of the Institutes of Medicine, National Research Council, Board on Children, Youth and Families, the Board of Directors of Chapin Hall Center for Children, and the Board of Advisors for the Pew Charitable Trust Economic Mobility Project. She has also been a member of the General Accounting Office Educators' Advisory Panel, the National Academy of Sciences Committee on National Statistics Panel to Review U.S. Department of Agriculture's Measurement of Food Insecurity and Hunger, and the Committee on Standards of Evidence and the Quality of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research. Mayer has an honorary Doctor of Laws degreed conferred by Lake Forest College. Mayer is the past director and deputy director of the Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research. She has served as an associate editor for the American Journal of Sociology.

Peizan is a third-year PhD student and Pearson Scholar at University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. He is interested in applied econometrics, randomization inference, and  machine learning. Prior to joining Harris, he earned an MSc in Applied Economics from Cornell University and a BS in Mathematics from Renmin University of China.

• Early Bird Application Deadline: February 22, 2025 
• Regular Application Deadline: April 30, 2025 

• Latest school transcript  
• Students’ statement of purpose (300 words max)    
• Resume with a list of extracurricular activities and personal achievements  
• (Optional) English proficiency scores  

Submit your application here

The program fee includes the course fee, use of the UChicago Campus in Hong Kong facilities, one meal and refreshments during on-campus days, excursion expenses, and shuttle buses to and from campus and Kennedy Town MTR Station. Program Fees are non-refundable once paid unless the program is canceled by the UChicago campus in Hong Kong.