Institute for International Economic Policy

What Institute for International Economic Policy does

The Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP) is a non-partisan academic research institute housed within the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University, founded in 2007 and based at 1957 E St. NW, Suite 502, Washington, DC. It conducts research on global economic policy — international trade, finance, development, sustainable growth, and economic governance — drawing on 60+ affiliated faculty across multiple GW departments. The institute is organized around seven signature initiatives covering climate change and sustainable cities, China–U.S. economic relations, economics of poverty and inequality, envisioning India, global economic governance, local sustainable governance, and the Yunus Initiative on Extreme Deprivation.

IIEP's distinctive intellectual property includes the Alkire-Foster Multidimensional Poverty Index methodology, co-developed by affiliated professor James Foster and underpinning the UNDP's annual global MPI, dozens of national MPIs, the WEAI, and indices used by the Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank; and the 1984 Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) poverty measures, among the most-cited papers in development economics and used in targeting Mexico's Progresa CCT program. Distribution occurs through five annual conference series (GW China since 2008, GW India since 2015, Urbanization & Development since 2013, GW Africa since 2024, and the World Bank-GWU-UVA Sustainable Development Conference since 2023), academic working papers and publications, and a YouTube archive of conference recordings.

Revenue is generated from a small portfolio of fee-based online economics programs delivered via TopHat and Blackboard — review programs at $300 each, single-session Principles at $650–$850, and the full Principles program at $1,300 — alongside university appropriations, grants, and conference co-sponsorship arrangements with the World Bank, International Growth Center, IMF, Inter-American Development Bank, OPHI, University of Hong Kong, UVA, Johns Hopkins, and others. As a non-profit university research unit, IIEP reports no commercial revenue and depends on GW institutional funding, philanthropic support, and event sponsorship to sustain operations.

Name

Institute for International Economic Policy

Legal name

Institute for International Economic Policy

Website

https://iiep.gwu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP) is a non-partisan research institute within George Washington University's Elliott School that conducts academic research and hosts annual conferences on global economic policy, poverty measurement, and sustainable development for students, academics, and policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Policy Research

NAICS

International Affairs (928120)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAMAJ

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Trade & Economic Development

SECONDARYBPAHALAD

Economic & Macroeconomic Research

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Research, Analytics & Expert Services

Keywords

• International economic policy
• Development economics research
• Poverty measurement analysis
• Academic policy research
• Economic education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Educational Programs: Revenue from online economics principles and review programs offered to GW Elliott School students and external participants. Programs include Micro/Macro Principles Review ($300), Intermediate Micro/Macro Review ($300), and full Principles of Economics Online Program ($1300).
2. Institutional Funding and Grants: Funding from GW University, partnerships with organizations like World Bank, and co-sponsorship arrangements for conferences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP) is a non-partisan academic research institute within the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University. It conducts research on global economic issues including international trade, finance, development, poverty, and sustainable economic growth, and delivers paid online economics educational programs (Principles of Economics, Micro/Macro reviews, Intermediate theory reviews) and signature annual conferences (GW China, GW India, GW Africa, Urbanization, Sustainable Development).

Product overview

The Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP) at the Elliott School of International Affairs operates as a research institute with educational products and signature conference programs. The core educational offerings consist of online economics programs delivered through TopHat: the Principles of Economics Online Program (combining Microeconomics and Macroeconomics principles), Review Programs at both principles and intermediate levels for micro and macroeconomics. These are complemented by a free Elliott School Online Economics Assessment accessed via Blackboard. IIEP also organizes major signature conference programs including the annual GW China Conference, GW India Conference (Envisioning India), GW Africa Conference, and the Urbanization and Development Conference, alongside the World Bank-GWU-UVA Sustainable Development Conference. The Yunus Initiative on Extreme Deprivation represents a specialized research and student engagement initiative focused on multidimensional poverty measurement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GW China: Annual conference series on China's Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations
• GW India
• GW Africa
• GW Urbanization
• GW Sustainable Development
• Yunus Initiative on Extreme Deprivation

Products and services

• Principles of Economics Online Program A comprehensive online program covering principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics, running from May 18 to August 7. Includes pre-recorded videos, problem sets, and answer keys. Full cost: $1,300.
• Principles of Microeconomics Online Program First session (May 19 – June 27) covering introductory microeconomics principles through pre-recorded videos and problem sets. Full cost: $650.
• Principles of Macroeconomics Online Program Second session (June 30 – August 7) covering introductory macroeconomics principles through pre-recorded videos and problem sets. Full cost: $850.
• Microeconomics Principles Online Review Program Self-paced online microeconomics principles review program for students with existing economics background. Includes recorded lectures, reading assignments, problem sets and answer keys accessed through TopHat. Cost: $300.
• Macroeconomics Principles Online Review Program Self-paced online macroeconomics principles review program for students with existing economics background. Includes recorded lectures, reading assignments, problem sets and answer keys accessed through TopHat. Cost: $300.
• Review of Intermediate Microeconomic Theory Online intermediate-level microeconomic theory review program for students taking courses that require intermediate-level microeconomic theory. Includes recorded lectures and problem sets. Cost: $300.
• Review of Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory Online intermediate-level macroeconomic theory review program. Includes recorded lectures and problem sets. Cost: $300.
• Elliott School Online Economics Assessment Free online self-assessment for Elliott School masters students to gauge their knowledge of introductory microeconomics and macroeconomics. Accessed through Blackboard. Results provide recommendations for further study.
• GW China Conference Annual conference series on China's Economic Development and U.S.-China Economic Relations featuring leading scholars from the U.S., China, and other countries presenting research on issues including China's continued growth, financial liberalization, trade, and development.
• GW India Conference (Envisioning India) Annual conference series dedicated to pressing issues shaping the Indian economy and US-India economic relations, convening academic researchers, corporate leaders, IMF/World Bank/OECD/UN officials, and policymakers.
• GW Africa Conference Annual conference focusing on emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, climate finance and innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive economic growth in Africa.
• Urbanization and Development Conference Annual conference (formerly Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference) bringing together academics and development practitioners to discuss effective land, housing, transport, and local labor market policy in cities.
• World Bank-GWU-UVA Sustainable Development Conference Conference on the Economics of Sustainable Development bringing together academics and development economics practitioners to discuss sustainable development themes including biodiversity, natural resources, and climate change.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) used by UNDP in Human Development Report and by dozens of national governments for policy targeting
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• University of Hong Kong (HKU) - Asia Global InstitutenotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-organizer of the 17th GW China Conference held in Hong Kong in December 2025, bringing together US, China, and international scholars.
• University of Hong Kong (HKU) - Centre for Contemporary China and the WorldnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-organizer of the 17th GW China Conference held in Hong Kong in December 2025.
• George Washington University School of BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-sponsor of GW Africa Conference series on finance and trade in Africa.
• The Growth DialoguenotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-sponsor of GW Africa Conference 2024.
• Believe in AfricanotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-sponsor of GW Africa Conference 2024.
• University of Virginia (UVA)notableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-sponsor of the 1st World Bank-GWU-UVA Research Conference on Economics of Sustainable Development in November 2023.
• Inter-American Development BanknotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Co-host of the 6th Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference in 2019, providing Latin American development perspective.
• Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Collaborates with OPHI on the Yunus Initiative on Extreme Deprivation; James Foster is Research Associate at OPHI.
• US-India Business Council (USIBC)notableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Co-sponsor of inaugural GW India Conference in 2015, providing industry perspective on US-India economic relations.
• National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) IndianotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Co-sponsor of GW India Conference series, contributing Indian public finance policy expertise.
• World Bank (Development Research Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Co-host of the annual Urbanization and Development Conference series since 2013, bringing together academics and development practitioners to discuss urbanization and poverty reduction.
• International Growth Center (Cities Research Program)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Co-host of Urbanization and Development Conference series, focused on cities research and urban policy.
• Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Co-host of Urbanization and Development Conference series, contributing academic research expertise.
• International Monetary FundnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Co-sponsor of the 5th Urbanization and Poverty Reduction Research Conference in 2018.
• GW Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Co-sponsor of GW China Conference series and other IIEP events, providing international business education perspective.
• Sigur Center for Asian StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Co-sponsor of the annual GW China Conference series since its inception in 2008, contributing Asian studies expertise.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Atlantic Council: International affairs think tank with active programs in global economic governance, trade, and development economics, comparable in convening role to IIEP though with a more geopolitical framing.
• RAND Corporation: Large, established research organization covering international economic policy among broader topics; competes with IIEP for government and foundation research grants and policy-maker attention.
• Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): Influential U.S. foreign policy institution with active economic policy initiatives and substantial convening power, comparable in international affairs orientation though broader in scope than IIEP.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Major international affairs think tank with overlapping economic and foreign policy research programs, comparable in convening role and academic orientation to IIEP.
• Brookings Institution: One of the largest U.S. think tanks with substantial economic policy and international affairs programs, competing with IIEP for talent, media attention, and policy-maker engagement in trade and development.

Direct peers

• Center for Global Development: Independent policy research organization focused on international development, poverty reduction, and globalization — sharing IIEP's development economics and policy advisory orientation with a similar academic-practitioner blend.
• National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER): Premier U.S. economic research organization with an academic affiliate model similar to IIEP's 60+ faculty affiliates, focused on producing working papers and convening researchers across economic policy areas.
• Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI): Oxford-based research center co-developing the MPI methodology with James Foster; deeply comparable as the academic home of multidimensional poverty research and a core IIEP partner.
• Peterson Institute for International Economics: The preeminent U.S. think tank dedicated exclusively to international economic policy research, with deep focus on trade, China, and global economic governance — directly comparable to IIEP's core mandate and convening model.

Others

• International Monetary Fund (IMF): International financial institution with which IIEP co-sponsors conferences and collaborates on economic policy research; comparable as a convener and producer of authoritative macroeconomic analysis rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/GW_IIEP

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute for International Economic Policy