Macroeconomist Training Program
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- Macroeconomist Training Program
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Program overview
- The Macroeconomist Training Program (MTP) is an outreach initiative to young scholars and professionals to help them gain an understanding of how the IMF uses financial programming and other tools to analyze macroeconomic issues and provide policy recommendations.
- Selected applicants are invited for a residential workshop to join lectures by former IMF economists and undertake group work on a mock IMF-style country surveillance exercise.
- Launched in August 2017, twenty-seventh MTP sessions have been held for a total of 525 youths from 59 countries* (as of July 2026).
- These courses have served as a launching pad to the full online courses offered by the IMF Institute for Capacity Development.
- Certificate of Participation will be granted to participants who complete the workshop.
- Application details will be announced at a later date.
*On this site, the term "country" does not in all cases refer to a territorial entity that is a state as understood by international law and practice. As used here, the term also covers some territorial entities that are not states.
Content and learning objectives
- Lectures provide an overview of IMF economic surveillance, including the use of its financial programming tool.
- Students discuss real country cases of bilateral surveillance and lending programs, and undertake group analysis of a country case using the tools introduced in the course.
- Core instructional elements:
- Role of the IMF in the international financial system.
- Financial Programming I: The IMF’s macroeconomic framework — overview of how the IMF analyzes macroeconomic issues and use of the financial programming tool to make projections and policy recommendations.
- Financial Programming II: Fiscal policy — identifying macroeconomic risks and vulnerabilities and developing fiscal policy recommendations.
- Financial Programming III: Monetary and financial sector policies — tools for evaluating monetary and exchange rate policies and macro-financial linkages and risks.
- IMF Surveillance case studies (examples include Turkey).
- IMF-Supported Programs case studies (examples include Sri Lanka and Egypt).
- Group assignments and presentations based on provided macroeconomic data (examples: Lao PDR, Sri Lanka).
Target participants and selection notes
- English course: Students studying in Japan on Master’s/ PhD degree programs in macroeconomics, international finance, development economics, and other related fields. Young professionals and undergraduate students can also apply.
- Japanese course: Undergraduate students studying in Japan in macroeconomics, international finance, development economics, and other related fields. Students pursuing a master’s degree and young professionals may also apply.
- JISPA scholars may receive lower priority in the selection process, as the JISPA Summer Workshop, exclusively offered to the scholars, covers the content of this program.
Main lecturers
- English course: Jerry Schiff (PhD). Dr. Schiff is a former Deputy Director of the Asia and Pacific Department and Senior Advisor in the Office of the Managing Director at the IMF. He has taught macroeconomics and economic policy at American University, George Washington University and the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Public Policy.
- Japanese course: Shogo Ishii (PhD). Dr. Ishii serves as an IMF Consultant. Previously, he was the Director of the IMF Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and has held senior positions including mission chief for Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam and Senior Resident Representative in Thailand.
- "Please note that lecturers are subject to change."
Sample three-day agenda (representative sessions and timings)
- Day 1 (typical start)
- 13:00-; Registration
- 13:30-14:00 Icebreaking Session
- 14:00-14:05 Welcome and Opening Remarks
- 14:05-14:45 A. Role of the IMF / The Role of the IMF
- 14:45-16:15 B. Financial Programming I: The IMF’s macroeconomic framework / Macroeconomic Framework and Linkages
- 16:15-16:30 Break
- 16:30-18:00 C. Financial Programming II: Fiscal policy / Financial Programming: Baseline Scenario
- Day 2
- 9:00-11:00 D. Financial Programming III: Monetary and financial sector policies / Assessing Baseline Scenario
- 11:00-11:15 Break
- 11:15-12:45 E. IMF Surveillance: The case of Turkey
- 12:45-13:45 Break / Lunch
- 13:45-14:45 F. Presentation by JICA
- 14:45-15:15 G. Explanation of Group Assignments
- 15:15-18:00 H. Office hours: Preparation of group presentations
- Day 3
- 9:00-10:30 I. IMF-Supported Programs: The case of Sri Lanka / Case Study: Egypt (reviews 46-month Extended Fund Facility program approved in January 2023)
- 10:30-10:45 Break
- 10:45-11:45 J. Office hours: Preparation of group presentations / Presentation by JICA
- 11:45-12:45 Lunch
- 12:45-16:00 H/K/L. Group Presentations (I & II)
- 16:00-16:30 Photo Session and Closing Remarks / End of Course Survey
- 16:30-18:00 Reception
Past courses — selected recent statistics
- 27th course: July 29-31, 2026, Tokyo, English — 18 people from 10 countries participated.
- 26th course: March 17-19, 2026, Tokyo, Japanese — 19 people from 13 countries participated.
- 25th course: January 14-16, 2026, Tokyo, English — 19 people from 14 countries participated.
- 24th course: July 30-August 1, 2025, Tokyo, English — 19 people from 10 countries participated.
- 23rd course: March 26-28, 2025, Tokyo, Japanese — 19 people from 3 countries participated.
- 22nd course: January 8-10, 2025, Tokyo, English — 20 people from 10 countries participated.
- 21st course: July 30-August 1, 2024, Tokyo, English.
- 20th course: March 27-29, 2024, Tokyo, Japanese.
- 19th course: January 10-12, 2024, Tokyo, English — 20 people from 13 countries participated.
- 18th course: June 15-17, 2023, Tokyo, English — 22 people from 15 countries participated.
- 16th course: January 10-16, 2023, Online, English — 17 people from 5 countries participated.
- 15th course: August 2-8, 2022, Online, English — 19 people from 13 countries participated.
- 14th course: March 22-28, 2022, Online, Japanese — 17 people from 2 countries participated.
- 13th course: January 12-17, 2022, Online, English — 18 people from 10 countries participated.
- 12th course: July 27-August 2, 2021, Online, English — 20 people from 11 countries participated.
- 11th course: March 16-22, 2021, Online, Japanese — 18 people from 3 countries participated.
- 10th course: January 5-10, 2021, Online, English — 19 people from 6 countries participated.
- 9th course: July 8-13, 2020, Online, Japanese — 19 people from 4 countries participated.
- 8th course: January 9-10, 2020, Tokyo, English — 21 people from 13 countries participated, 14 more remotely joined.
- Earlier courses include participation counts ranging from 18 to 23 people and locations including Tokyo, Kyoto, Fukuoka, and online delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participant feedback highlights
- Financial programming framework and the integration of the four sectors (real, fiscal, external, monetary) repeatedly cited as the most valuable part of the course.
- Hands-on country cases and group presentations emphasized for improving practical analytical skills and teamwork.
- Lectures balance technical depth and practical relevance; case studies (e.g., Vietnam, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Egypt) help link theory to policy design.
- Participants reported increased confidence in constructing economic snapshots, identifying vulnerabilities, and applying macroeconomic frameworks in research and professional settings.
Content in this bundle
- Program, 5th Macroeconomist Training Program, January 2019, Tokyo
- Macroeconomist Training Program, Flyer, January 2021
- 11th Macroeconomist Training Program — Draft Program
- 12th Macroeconomist Training Program
- 13th Macroeconomist Training Program, January 2022
- 14th Macroeconomist Training Program, March 22-28, 2022
- 15th Mtp Flyer Program Final
- 16th Macroeconomist Training Program — Program Agenda
- Initiative for Macroeconomists of the Future
- 18th Macroeconomist Training Program — Program Agenda
- 19th Macroeconomist Training Program
- 20th Mtp Flyer Program Agenda Jp En Rv
- 21st Macroeconomist Training Program — Program Agenda
- 22nd Macroeconomist Training Program
- 23rd Macroeconomist Training Program
- 24th Macroeconomist Training Program
- 25th Macroeconomist Training Program
- 26th Macroeconomist Training Program
- 27th Mtp Flyer Agenda
- Back to Basics, Economics Concepts Explained, Finance and Development (PDF)