Learning Days 17: Latin America Regional Hub Workshop &
Doctoral Dissertation Camp 2025

En Español

See All Learning Days Workshops

Organized by the host Universidad Católica del Uruguay, Universidad EAFIT. TREES and the  Latin America Regional Hub of the global Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP) network, headquartered in Universidad de los Andes, Colombia.

July 21 to 25, 2025

Montevideo, Uruguay

Learning Days workshop 2024, Universidad EAFIT, Medellín, Colombia

Learning Days Workshop 2025

The EGAP LATAM Regional Hub will hold a Learning Days workshop in Montevideo, from July 21 to 25, 2025, in alliance with Universidad Católica del Uruguay.

This 5-day intensive workshop aims to develop familiarity with causal inference in field randomized experiments with a quantitative focus. It is intended for Latin America-based scholars, researchers and practitioners working in academic, non-governmental, and government organizations who carry out analyses related to governance, policy, and development issues. 

The language of instruction will be Spanish with some sessions in English. More information about past Learning Days workshops and a typical schedule of the workshop can be found here.

EGAP will cover the financial costs (one person per selected project/application) of airfare, accommodation with breakfast for up to 6 nights (for attendees from outside Montevideo), catering at the workshop, and a celebratory dinner. If selected to the workshop, participants must arrive before the morning of Monday, Jul. 21, 2025, and be in attendance through the evening of Friday, Jul. 25, 2025. 

Notes: 1. Accepted applicants will be required to complete a preparatory asynchronous online R course prior to the workshop. Further information will be provided to selected participants. 2. You’re welcome to apply for both the Learning Days Workshop and the Doctoral Dissertation Camp, as long as you meet the requirements for each. Be sure to:

  • Submit a different project for each activity.
  • Use the designated application form for each activity (links provided below in the “How to Apply section”).

If applying to both, confirm you meet all criteria and complete a separate application for each.

Eligibility Requirements for the Learning Days Workshop

In order to be eligible to attend the workshop, applicants must:

  1. Be currently based at a university, government, or civil society organization in Latin America.
  2. Have an evaluation research idea in mind or be in the first stages of a project that aims to examine the impact of a societal issue in Latin America.  
  3. Have previous training in social sciences (such as political science, economics, public administration, and other related disciplines). Scholars who primarily use qualitative methods, but have some familiarity with quantitative research are highly encouraged to apply. 
  4. Have basic knowledge of statistics (descriptive statistics). Prior familiarity with statistical software is a plus, ideally R, but not a requirement.
  5. Have the availability to be completely involved in all the activities during the entire week of the workshop (all day long).  

The workshop will cover concepts and tools for field work, and it will include presentations of examples of randomized interventions, statistical exercises in R, and individual advisory sessions for participants to develop their own research designs. Key topics include causal inference, randomization, estimation, hypothesis testing, power analysis, among others. This training curriculum is based on accumulated knowledge from past workshops, as collected in the online coursebook: The Theory and Practice of Field Experiments: An Introduction from the EGAP Learning Days. 

The workshop is organized by Hub’s Co-Directors Leopoldo Fergusson and Santiago Tobón and advised by Methods & Training Co-Directors Nahomi Ichino and Jake Bowers. The team of instructors includes experts on experimental research, including: Danilo Freire, Jake Bowers, Luis Maldonado, y Rosario Aguilar. Applications are due by Friday February 28, 2025.

Notes: 1. Accepted applicants will be required to complete a preparatory asynchronous online R course prior to the workshop. Further information will be provided to selected participants. 2. You’re welcome to apply for both the Learning Days Workshop and the Doctoral Dissertation Camp, as long as you meet the requirements for each. Be sure to:

  • Submit a different project for each activity.
  • Use the designated application form for each activity (links provided below in the “How to Apply section”).

If applying to both, confirm you meet all criteria and complete a separate application for each.

Doctoral Dissertation Camp

July 26, 2025

As part of our training program at Universidad Católica del Uruguay, we will also host a one-day Doctoral Dissertation Camp on July 26, 2025, designed for PhD students from across Latin America who are interested in receiving valuable and constructive feedback on their dissertation projects.

The primary goal of the camp is to provide a collaborative and supportive environment where participants can present their progress, exchange ideas with peers, and receive direct guidance from distinguished experts in the Global EGAP network.

Throughout the day, structured review and discussion sessions will take place to foster reflective and iterative feedback. To maximize the camp’s impact, participants will submit their working papers in advance, allowing the group and mentors to prepare thoroughly. This collaborative approach will help improve the quality and focus of the projects, strengthen academic communication skills, and significantly advance the development of their dissertations.

The camp is aimed at PhD students working on topics related to the multiple dimensions of inequality in Latin America. Priority will be given to research that comprehensively analyzes the causes and consequences of inequality in the region.

TREES will provide a subsidy of up to USD 200 (one person per project/proposal) to cover travel and accommodation costs for participants traveling from outside Montevideo, as well as catering during the workshop and a group dinner. Selected participants must arrive before the morning of Saturday, July 26, 2025, and attend all camp activities during that entire day.

Note: You’re welcome to apply for both the Learning Days Workshop and the Doctoral Dissertation Camp, as long as you meet the requirements for each. Be sure to:

  1. Submit a different project for each activity.
  2. Use the designated application form for each activity (links provided below in the “How to Apply section”).

If applying to both, confirm you meet all criteria and complete a separate application for each.

Eligibility Requirements for the Doctoral Dissertation Camp

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Be an active PhD student at a university in Latin America.
  • Have an advanced dissertation project, preferably at the analysis or writing stage.
  • Submit a working paper of the dissertation that includes:
  1. Title: A clear and concise title that reflects the topic of the work.
  2. Abstract: A summary of up to 300 words explaining the objectives, methods, preliminary results (if any), and expected conclusions of the work, explicitly addressing the causes and consequences of inequality in Latin America.
  3. Introduction: A section that contextualizes the research, describes the problem, and justifies its relevance, with a particular emphasis on analyzing the causes and consequences of inequality in the region.
  4. Literature Review: An analysis of the state of the art related to the topic, highlighting gaps and how the project contributes to addressing them, particularly regarding the systemic causes and multifaceted consequences of inequality in Latin America.
  5. Theoretical Framework: An explanation of the conceptual or theoretical approach guiding the research, focusing on frameworks that explore inequality’s root causes and its broader effects.
  6. Methodology: Details on the research design, including methods for data collection and analysis, with a focus on approaches that effectively examine both the causes and consequences of inequality.
  7. Current Progress: A description of the preliminary results or the current status of the dissertation, emphasizing findings related to the analysis of inequality’s causes and its social, economic, and political consequences.
  8. Expected Impact, Discussion or Conclusions: A brief section on the potential academic, social, or policy implications of the work, particularly in contributing to a deeper understanding of inequality and strategies to address its causes and mitigate its consequences in Latin America.
  9. Bibliography: A list of references cited in the document, following a standard format (e.g., APA, Chicago, or MLA).

Note: You’re welcome to apply for both the Learning Days Workshop and the Doctoral Dissertation Camp, as long as you meet the requirements for each. Be sure to:

  • Submit a different project for each activity.
  • Use the designated application form for each activity (links provided below in the “How to Apply section”).

If applying to both, confirm you meet all criteria and complete a separate application for each.

How to Apply?

Note: You’re welcome to apply for both the Learning Days Workshop and the Doctoral Dissertation Camp, as long as you meet the requirements for each. Be sure to:

  • Submit a different project for each activity.
  • Use the designated application form for each activity (links provided below).

If applying to both, confirm you meet all criteria and complete a separate application for each.

  • To apply for the Learning Days Workshop, please complete this form. Note that applications will only be considered eligible if your CV is attached. Application deadline: Friday, February 28, 2025. For any inquiries, please contact: egap_latam@uniandes.edu.co.
  • To apply for the Doctoral Dissertation Camp, please complete this form. Note that applications will only be considered eligible if your working paper and CV are attached. Application deadline: Friday, February 28, 2025. For any inquiries, please contact: trees@uniandes.edu.co.