Public Economics And Fiscal Policy Training Course: Shaping The Economic Landscape

Introduction:

Governments play a crucial role in shaping the economic landscape through their spending, taxation, and regulatory policies. This Public Economics and Fiscal Policy training course provides you with the economic frameworks and tools to understand the role of government in the economy. You'll explore the principles of public finance, analyze the design and impact of fiscal policies, and examine the challenges of public service provision. From taxation and public goods to social security and welfare programs, this course equips you to contribute to informed discussions and decision-making on crucial economic issues.

Target Audience:

This course is designed for professionals and individuals interested in the economic and policy aspects of government activity. The target audience includes:

• Economists working in government, academia, and the private sector
• Policy analysts and researchers
• Public administrators and officials
• Budget analysts and financial managers
• Anyone seeking to understand the role of government in the economy

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this Public Economics and Fiscal Policy training course, participants will be able to:

• Understand core concepts in public economics, including market failures, public goods, externalities, and social welfare.
• Analyze the principles of taxation and the design of tax systems.
• Evaluate the impact of government spending on various sectors of the economy.
• Understand the economics of public service provision, including education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
• Assess the role of government in regulating markets and addressing externalities.
• Analyze the economics of social security and welfare programs.
• Understand the principles of fiscal policy and its role in macroeconomic stabilization.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of government policies and programs.
• Contribute to informed discussions and decision-making on public policy issues.
• Understand the complexities of public finance and the trade-offs involved in policy choices.

Duration

5 Days

Course Content

Module 1: Introduction to Public Economics

• The role of government in the economy: Market failures and the need for government intervention.
• Positive vs. normative economics: Describing vs. prescribing economic policies.
• Key concepts: Public goods, externalities, common resources, and information asymmetry.
• Course overview: Structure, learning objectives, and assessment methods.

Module 2: Public Goods and Externalities

• Public goods: Characteristics, provision, and the free-rider problem.
• Externalities: Positive and negative externalities, their impact on market efficiency.
• Internalizing externalities: Pigouvian taxes, subsidies, and regulation.
• Common resources: The tragedy of the commons and solutions for sustainable management.

Module 3: Taxation I: Principles of Taxation

• Tax systems: Types of taxes and their characteristics.
• Tax incidence: Who bears the burden of a tax?
• Equity and efficiency in taxation: Evaluating tax systems.
• Optimal taxation: Designing tax systems to minimize distortions.

Module 4: Taxation II: Tax Design and Implementation

• Tax bases and tax rates.
• Tax administration and compliance.
• Tax evasion and avoidance.
• Tax reforms and their impact.

Module 5: Government Spending I: Public Expenditure Analysis

• The growth of government spending: Trends and drivers.
• Budgeting and expenditure management.
• Cost-benefit analysis: Evaluating public projects and programs.
• Program evaluation: Assessing the effectiveness of government programs.

Module 6: Government Spending II: Public Service Provision

• Education: The economics of education and human capital development.
• Healthcare: The economics of healthcare and health insurance.
• Infrastructure: The economics of infrastructure investment and development.
• Other public services: Transportation, public safety, and social services.

Module 7: Social Security and Welfare Programs

• Social security: Retirement pensions and social insurance.
• Welfare programs: Unemployment benefits, income support, and poverty reduction programs.
• The design and impact of social safety nets.
• Welfare economics and social choice theory.

Module 8: Fiscal Policy I: Macroeconomic Stabilization

• Fiscal policy: The use of government spending and taxation to influence the economy.
• Business cycles and macroeconomic fluctuations.
• Countercyclical fiscal policy: Stimulus and austerity measures.
• The role of fiscal policy in stabilizing the economy.

Module 9: Fiscal Policy II: Debt and Deficits

• Government debt and deficits: Causes and consequences.
• Sustainable fiscal policy: Managing public debt and deficits.
• The impact of fiscal policy on long-run economic growth.
• Fiscal policy in open economies.

Module 10: State and Local Government Finance

• Fiscal federalism: The division of fiscal responsibilities between different levels of government.
• State and local government budgeting and taxation.
• Intergovernmental transfers and grants.
• The role of state and local governments in economic development.

Module 11: Regulation and Regulatory Policy

• The rationale for regulation: Market failures and externalities.
• Types of regulation: Economic regulation and social regulation.
• Regulatory impact analysis: Assessing the costs and benefits of regulation.
• Regulatory reform and deregulation.

Module 12: Advanced Topics and Current Issues in Public Economics

• Behavioral public economics: The role of psychology in public policy.
• The economics of inequality and redistribution.
• Globalization and public finance.
• The future of public economics.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 7 working days before commencement of the training.