The International Center for Public Policy (ICePP), housed in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies (AYSPS), hosted its 17th Public Finance Conference in Atlanta from October 17–19, 2024, bringing together leading experts from around the world to examine current and emerging challenges in fiscal decentralization. This year’s conference also celebrated the contributions of Jorge Martinez-Vazquez—Regents professor emeritus of economics, founding director of ICePP, and former director of the Public Finance Research Cluster (PFRC)—whose pioneering work has shaped fiscal decentralization theory and practice in over 90 countries.
Dr. Martinez’s career has left an indelible mark on global public finance policy.
His extensive body of work—over 20 books and nearly 300 refereed articles with almost 20,000 citations—has brought Georgia State University (GSU) significant international visibility, including prestigious multi-million dollar projects such as the $20 million USAID Fiscal Reform Project in Russia. Moreover, his mentorship of countless students, including chairing 55 PhD dissertations, exemplifies Georgia State’s dedication to fostering student success and cultivating academic leadership.
The Public Finance Conference series, which Dr. Martinez founded in 2001, plays a key role in advancing GSU’s commitment to research and innovation. By convening preeminent scholars and policymakers, ICePP creates a platform for sharing novel research to tackle pressing policy challenges. “Our conferences have been important for advancing influential policy work on global governance,” says Paul Benson, senior director of the PFRC. “Each gathering in Atlanta has fostered an environment where new ideas and practical solutions can meet, and in my experience, these events are equally valuable for our students, who see firsthand how academic work connects with real-world policy.”
This year’s event, featuring 32 experts from six countries—including institutions such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank—illustrates AYSPS’s leadership in public finance and GSU’s broader aim to drive meaningful change through cross-disciplinary collaboration. Discussions in this year’s conference centered around forward-thinking questions, such as whether and how traditional fiscal decentralization models may be adapted to address ever-shifting economic landscapes.
In line with GSU’s commitment to student success, graduate students from the PFRC and across AYSPS play an active role in these conferences, enriching their education beyond the classroom and preparing them for meaningful careers. This year, students joined in high-level discussions during the conference’s 13 paper presentations and engaged in deeper conversations at a luncheon with the scholars. “This conference has been a unique opportunity to connect with global experts and learn about the practical difficulties of fiscal decentralization,” says Federico Corredor, a PhD candidate in economics. “Discussing these issues firsthand with leading scholars has deepened my understanding of how economic theory applies in real-world governance.”
Nadia Farooq, international economist working with PFRC, shares a similar perspective. “As a visiting scholar at GSU, I’ve appreciated ICePP’s conferences as extremely valuable for seeing the big picture in public finance and global policy by connecting different perspectives from across disciplines and borders.”
Additionally, the series demonstrates GSU’s focus on college to career readiness by providing students direct access to scholars and professionals from organizations like Ernst & Young and the Brookings Institution. Networking opportunities like these offer invaluable insights into public policy careers, supporting GSU’s efforts to connect students with key figures in their future fields and bridging the gap between academic preparation and professional advancement.
Bringing participants from diverse cultural backgrounds and perspectives to Atlanta also benefits GSU’s commitment to identity and placemaking. These gatherings underscore a shared dedication to navigating differences in an effort to drive meaningful change—an enriching experience not only for the expert participants, but also for GSU students, faculty, and staff alike.
As with past ICePP conferences, the research presented here will be refined and published as an edited volume or special journal edition, continuing GSU’s role as a thought leader in the field. ICePP’s dedication to rigorous, policy-relevant research and its focus on fostering collaboration positions the center as a vital contributor to the Public Finance Research Cluster’s mission of improving public-sector governance worldwide.
On behalf of the International Center for Public Policy and the Andrew Young School, we wish you all the best in your retirement, Dr. Martinez, and we extend our deepest gratitude for your immeasurable contributions to Georgia State University!
Group photo, with Dr. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez at center, surrounded by this conference’s expert speakers, graduate students, and ICePP staff.
A list of all conference participants can be found here, at the bottom of the conference page.
All conference papers will soon be available in ICePP’s working paper series before final publication.