Education Creates Prosperity: Strategies for Capabilities and Equal Opportunity
About the lecture:
The academic performance of German students in the core subjects of German, mathematics, and science has been declining for over a decade. At the same time, the inequality in educational opportunities for children from different family backgrounds is striking. Yet strong educational performance is the foundation not only for individual success in the labor market but also for our overall economic prosperity.
The presentation will outline the scientific findings regarding the significant economic importance of a good education and the current state of educational achievement in Germany. Based on this, it will propose effective reforms to improve capabilities and promote equity of opportunity in the education system. Research shows that neither low academic performance nor high inequality is inevitable; rather, both can be actively addressed. In this respect, the lecture is a plea not to slide blindly into a decades-long crisis, but rather to view effective educational measures as a long-term investment in the foundations of our society and economy.
About the lecturer:
Prof. Dr. Ludger Wößmann is Director of the ifo Center for the Economics of Education and Professor of Economics at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
Moderators:
Prof. Dr. Marcel Thum and Prof. Dr. Joachim Ragnitz
Date and Location:
Monday, September 30, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
ifo Institute, Dresden Branch
Einsteinstraße 3
01069 Dresden
Registration:
We cordially invite you to this lecture and look forward to welcoming you to this event. Due to limited seating, we ask that you register in advance. Please use our online form to register.