Virginia Saccotelli
Research Focus
My research interests lie in behavioral and experimental economics, with applications to development, migration and education. In this area, I study how access to education abroad shapes individual trajectories, and which individual characteristics are associated with academic and labor-market success. A related strand of my research interests concerns cooperation and compliance in public goods settings, and the role of trust in institutions in sustaining them. Across these areas, I am interested in how individuals make economic decisions in contexts shaped by institutions, social norms and beliefs, and in how these decisions affect both individual outcomes and collective welfare.
Academic Career
- Ph.D. Candidate in Economics | International Max Planck Research School & Cologne Graduate School – present
- M.Sc. in Economics and Econometrics | University of Bologna – 2026
- Visiting Student | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - Winter Term (2022-2023)
- B.Sc. in Economics and Finance | University of Bologna – 2023