PhD scholarship in Financial Economics

PhD scholarship in Financial Economics

Economic Development in Emerging Economies: The Role of Finance, Digital Transformation, and Institutions.

Digital transformation is increasingly reshaping the relationship between financial development and economic growth. Technologies such as mobile banking, digital payments, fintech platforms, artificial intelligence, and blockchain are expanding access to financial services, reducing transaction costs, and improving the efficiency of financial intermediation. At the same time, institutional quality remains a fundamental determinant of economic performance. Effective regulation, strong rule of law, government accountability, and secure property rights provide the conditions under which financial systems and digital innovations can generate sustainable economic outcomes. Consequently, the growth effects of financial development and digitalization are likely to depend on the institutional environment in which they operate.

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As per RMIT PhD Scholarship guidelines.

1 (one).

The study will construct a comprehensive cross-country dataset using sources such as the World Bank, IMF, ITU, UNCTAD, Penn World Table, and UNDP databases, and apply advanced econometric techniques to analyze both short-run and long-run relationships. Applicants should possess strong quantitative skills, experience with large datasets, and a background in economics, finance, financial econometrics, data science, or related disciplines.

Candidate must meet all the entry requirements stipulated by RMIT University for PhD admission.

31/12/2031

Candidate should follow the instructions on RMIT website and apply accordingly.
See RMIT's How to Apply.

 

This PhD project will investigate the combined impact of financial development, digitalization, and institutional quality on economic growth in emerging economies. Specifically, it will examine:

  • how financial development and digitalization influence economic growth
  • whether digitalization strengthens the traditional finance-growth nexus
  • how institutional quality affects the ability of financial development and digital transformation to promote growth.
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