Summer School - Seeing through the algorithms: a summer school on machine learning & AI for economists

OVERVIEW
Nowadays, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping economic research, policy evaluation, and business decision-making. Yet many economists use these tools as "black boxes," often unaware of their assumptions, limitations, and potential pitfalls.

This Summer School, hosted by the UB School of Economics in 2026, offers an accessible yet rigorous introduction to ML and AI specifically designed for economists.

Key information

Dates: 6 – 10 July, 2026

Lectures: 25 hours (2 ECTS)

Location: Barcelona

Academic Director: Montserrat Guillen (Universitat de Barcelona, National Research Award 2025)

Academic Coordinator: Juan S. Yañez (Universitat de Barcelona)

Is this the right course for you?

The summer school is designed for advanced graduate students and professionals with a strong interest in machine learning & AI for Economists.

It aims to attract:

• Graduate students from disciplines such as economics, political science, and other social sciences with a quantitative focus.
• Early-career researchers.
• Applied Economists.

Participants requirements

• Curiosity and a willingness to engage critically with new tools.
• Proficiency in English, as all lectures, materials, and discussions will be conducted in English.
• No prior experience with machine learning is required.

Fees and funding

Students: 475 euros

General: 710 euros*

*25% discount on the general fee for early career researchers (within five years of the award of their PhD).

The fees cover coffee, a welcome dinner, a farewell cocktail, and materials required for the course. They do not cover lunches, accommodation, transport, or any other services.

Payment and Cancellation policy

Participants offered a place on the Summer School will receive an email with (i) the admission letter and (ii) the payment instructions. Payment of the tuition fees is required to secure a place once offered.

All cancellations must be received in writing and sent in advance by email. Participants wishing to withdraw from the Summer School will have their tuition fees partially refunded according to the following policy: Prior to 15 days before the beginning of the course: full refund of the registration fee, less €100 of administrative costs.

The University of Barcelona reserves the right to cancel the Summer School if the minimum number of required students is not reached.

Ready to apply?

Applications are open until 20 April 2026, or until all available places are filled.

Supporting documents required: ID and CV.

Applicants will receive the admission decision by email within three weeks of submitting their application.

To secure a place in the programme, admitted participants must complete the payment by the deadline indicated in the admission notification.

Need help?

Email: Our admissions team will get back to you within 48 hours (Monday to Friday)

Videocall: Schedule a one-on-one video call with the programme manager

Brochure: Download our summer school prospectus

Register your interest by filling out the form below to receive exclusive updates about our programme, application deadlines, faculty insights, and exciting opportunities to study in Barcelona!

Excellence

The University of Barcelona stands among the leading universities worldwide, consistently achieving top positions in major international rankings for teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and internationalisation. You can explore detailed subject rankings in economics and the social sciences.

The UB School of Economics is listed in the top 10% of economics departments worldwide (RePEc/IDEAs).