The 10th Urbanization and Development Conference will bring together academics and development practitioners to present and discuss questions relating to jobs, firms, and growth in cities.

 

CALL FOR PAPERS IS NOW OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS. SEE MORE DETAILS BELOW.

 

This year’s Urbanization and Development Conference will explore how cities shape the creation and transformation of jobs and firms in developing economies. As technological change, demographic transitions, and structural shifts redefine the future of work, the conference invites research that deepens our understanding of how urban economies can drive economic growth and job creation. 

The discussions will center on three interlinked themes:

Structural transformation: how tradable and non-tradable sectors evolve within urban economies, including the role of the informal sector in employment generation, resilience, and structural change. The conference will also explore the role of secondary cities and urban-rural linkages for economic transformation.

Urban labor markets and the changing nature of work: how demographics, infrastructure, technology and policy influence labor force participation, job creation, and the rise of green employment.

Firms, productivity, and urban economic growth: how urban form, spatial dynamics, and agglomeration economies shape firm performance, productivity and wages.

The policy-focused research conference will take place on 30-31 March 2026 and is hosted by the World Bank (Development Research Group and Urban, Disaster Risk, Resilience, and Land), George Washington University (Elliott School of International Affairs and Institute for International Economic Policy), the International Growth Centre (Cities that Work and Cities Research Program), and Johns Hopkins University (School of Advanced International Studies and School of Government and Policy).

There are no associated conference fees and food will be provided. 

There is no funding available for conference participants or presenters except presenters for the Young Urban Economist Workshop.

The World Bank and its partners will not be able to sponsor visas for this conference.

 

Registration

Pre-registration to attend the conference will open in early 2026.

 

Conference Organizers

The World Bank George Washington University

Harris Selod

Alice Duhaut

Remi Jedwab

 
Johns Hopkins University International Growth Centre (IGC)

Nathaniel Baum-Snow

Filipe Campante

Victoria Delbridge

Juliana Oliveira-Cunha
Other  
Daniel Agness  

 

Inquiries

For inquires related to the call for papers, contact: citiesthatwork@theigc.org

For inquiries related to conference attendance and registration:
urbanizationconference@worldbank.org

The organizers invite paper submissions from scholars and practitioners exploring how urbanization drives and is driven by economic transformation.

 

Key themes and areas of interest

All papers related to cities in developing economies will be considered, however key areas of interest include:

 

1. Structural transformation

  • Dynamics of structural change across and within urban economies.
  • Urban–rural linkages in job creation, including the role of secondary cities and rural diversification.
  • The evolution of tradable vs. non-tradable sectors, and formal vs. informal employment.

 

2. Urban labor markets and the changing nature of work 

  • Labor force participation, with a focus on gender and youth.
  • Future demand for jobs and demographic change.
  • How technological change, automation, and AI are reshaping urban labor markets.
  • Public vs. private employment creation, including urban public works programs.
  • The rise of green jobs and environmentally sustainable economic transitions.

 

3. Firms, productivity, and urban economic growth

  • Urban firm productivity and agglomeration economies.
  • Spatial distribution of firms and workers, including the urban wage premium and productivity gaps.
  • The role of urban form, mobility, and spatial mismatch in shaping firm and worker outcomes, and effective density more generally.

 

Papers should focus on developing countries or provide insights from historical progress in developed countries. While the conference focuses on economics research, papers from other social science fields with a strong quantitative background or mixed methods approach will also be considered.

 

Young Urban Economist Workshop

As part of the call for papers, a small group of young scholars will be chosen to participate in the Young Urban Economist Workshop and will receive feedback on their papers from senior faculty. These scholars will be eligible to receive funding for travel and accommodation. There is no specific application process for this—young researchers should us the standard application form.

 

Deadline and additional information

The deadline for paper submissions is 8 December, 2025 (at 23:59 GMT). Acceptance of submitted papers for presentation at the conference will be communicated by January 9, 2026. Submissions should be made via the IGC website.

 

Please note: There is no funding available for conference presenters, except for researchers selected for the Young Urban Economist Workshop. The World Bank and its partners will not be able to sponsor visas for this conference.

 

For inquires related to the call for papers, contact: citiesthatwork@theigc.org