Nobel Laureate Highlights 3 Ways to Overcome Global Fertility Crisis at Corvinus Uni in Budapest
- 28 Jan 2025 2:35 PM
The address, delivered at the honorary doctorate ceremony, coincided with an international workshop that brought together leading scholars to discuss declining fertility rates and potential solutions.
Heckman, renowned for his groundbreaking work on social mobility, skill development, and early childhood investment, was awarded the title of Doctor et Professor Honoris Causa by Corvinus University rector Bruno van Pottelsberghe. The ceremony, held in mid-December, underscored the deepening collaboration between Corvinus and Heckman’s Center for the Economics of Human Development at the University of Chicago.
Demographic Challenges and Policy Solutions
In his lecture, Heckman examined the complex demographic trends reshaping societies worldwide, including falling fertility rates in developed nations, aging populations, and high youth unemployment in regions with higher fertility. He stressed that traditional economic models fail to capture the multifaceted nature of these challenges, calling for policies that address the interplay of social, economic, and cultural factors.
Heckman identified five drivers behind fertility declines: the rising costs of higher education and delayed parenthood, evolving social norms viewing parenthood as a personal choice, economic pressures like housing costs and job insecurity, cultural and media influences, and environmental concerns, including climate change.
Despite the obstacles, Heckman outlined three areas where targeted interventions could make a difference:
1. Investing in Education and Parental Support: Drawing on Scandinavian models, Heckman noted that public funding for childcare, education, and parental assistance correlates with higher fertility rates.
2. Providing Economic Assistance to Young People: Policies aimed at improving housing affordability and job security can encourage young adults to start families.
3. Empowering Women: Equal pay, expanded training opportunities, and equitable domestic responsibility-sharing can help women balance careers and family life effectively.
Workshop Focuses on Fertility Challenges and Policy Solutions
The honorary doctorate ceremony was followed by a two-day workshop, “Fertility Challenges: From Pronatalist Policies to Social Norms,” co-organized by the Corvinus Institute for Advanced Studies and Heckman’s center at the University of Chicago.
This event marked the first in-person meeting of a long-term research collaboration launched in 2023 to explore the causes of fertility decline and develop actionable solutions.
The workshop featured interdisciplinary discussions on global and regional fertility trends, the effectiveness of pronatalist policies, the influence of societal norms and media, and changing patterns of sexual behavior. Participants included demographers, economists, and policymakers, whose insights aim to inform future research and policy frameworks.
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