International Growth Centre

Founded in 2008, the IGC is funded by the UK Department for International Development.

The IGC is led by Executive Director is Jonathan Leape alongside Directors Robin Burgess (Professor of Economics at the LSE) and Paul Collier (Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government).

The IGC’s aim is to promote sustainable growth in developing countries, focusing on what it has identified as the four key drivers of growth: state effectiveness, productive firms, liveable cities and reliable energy access. Research teams work with policymakers within the country to identify the major challenges to growth and establish priorities for overcoming them. The IGC’s approach recognises the importance of demand-led, in-country research for informing policy decisions.

Initiatives

With the IGC, the Commission on State Fragility, Growth and Development was launched on 2 March 2017 and ran until June 2018. The commission was chaired by David Cameron. Donald Kaberuka and Adnan Khan (IGC/LSE) served as co-chairs, and Tim Besley (LSE) and Paul Collier (Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford) served as its academic directors.

Cities that Work is a new IGC initiative that builds on work to translate economic research and practical insight into clear urban policy guidance. The Cities that Work Council is chaired by Ed Glaeser (Harvard) and is made up of Mohammed Adjei Sowah (Mayor of Accra), Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr (Mayor of Freetown), Paul Collier (Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford), Jonathan Leape (IGC), Jennifer Musisi (Executive Director, Kampala Capital City Authority), Naison Mutizwa-Mangiza (Director, Regional Office for Africa, UN-Habitat), Shoaib Rahim (Acting Mayor of Kabul), Tony Venables (Oxford), and Astrid Haas (Cities that Work Manager, IGC).