We recently interviewed alumnus Elfried Faton, a Beninese national who graduated from IREEP-ASE in 2008 (IREEP MEPSA Program) and who is currently a fourth year PhD candidate in Economics at Laval University in Quebec City (Canada). We asked her to share some thoughts about the African School of Economics and to give some recommendations to prospective students.

 

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a Beninese citizen and currently a fourth year PhD candidate in Economics at Laval University in Quebec City. My main research interests include social interactions, network economics and development economics. I hold a Master’s degree in Public Economy and Applied Statistics from ASE-IERPE (2008) and a Master’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Abomey-Calavi (2006). From 2009 to the beginning of my PhD program in 2012, I worked as a research associate and later as a Sponsored Studies Coordinator at ASE’s Institute for Empirical Research in Political Economy (IERPE) in Benin. Prior to that, from late 2008 to 2009, I taught Statistics at the Haute Ecole de Commerce et de Management (HECM) and Mathematics to high school students in Benin. I am also a member of the Canadian Economic Association (CEA) and the Centre Interuniversitaire sur le Risque, les Politiques Economiques et l’Emploi (CIRPEE) in Quebec City.

 

How has MEPSA helped you prepare for a PhD Program?

In the MEPSA program we had professors coming from several internationally renowned universities such as the Toulouse School of Economics, the London School of Economics, Laval University, and New York University. These professors follow the same syllabus they use in their home universities, and I believe that this increased the probability of my admission and success in a Ph.D. program in a North American because I had already studied and succeeded in some fundamental courses taught to first year Ph.D. students. Additionally, studying in the MEPSA program gave me the opportunity to receive good recommendation letters from these professors for my applications to Ph.D. programs.

 

What do you think are the job prospects in general and particularly for women?

The number of jobs a MEPSA alumnus can do is countless. To cite a few, MEPSA graduate students can work as researchers, in banks, research bureau and international organizations, which is true for many of my past colleagues. They can become lecturers if they feel attracted to education or they can work for the government as experts in statistics and economics.

 

What do you think about the training at ASE?

Just three words: cutting-edge training!

 

How do you think students are supported during and after the program at ASE?

There is a financial support program at ASE as there was at IERPE in the MEPSA program. To the best of my knowledge, I think students still have the opportunity to work at ASE affiliated research institutes (IERPE, etc.) during their time at the university. I think that there are also several grants and fellowship given to select students. Apart from the financial support, ASE also tries to help its students integrate into the job market through recommendations and by providing information on potential jobs.

Research quality and involvement of students at ASE (based on your SIER experience, for example) I think that ASE students have the opportunity to be involved in research early in the program. In particular, during the SIER conference in 2015, I had the opportunity to attend the presentations of many ASE students on their research, and I was quite blown away by the high quality of several of the presentations.

 

What do you like about ASE?

I like the fact that early in their studies, students have the opportunity to personally and professionally interact with other students, professionals and professors from different backgrounds and specializations on the intellectual level. This allows students to become completely immersed in an environment where everyone is working toward excellence. I also like the fact that ASE’s president, who is a great inspiration for the students,visits ASE campus regularly.

 

What would you say to someone who is hesitant about joining ASE

What are you still waiting for? No seriously, I’ve been there, so I’m talking from experience. This is a great program. If you want to make the most of your abilities and reach excellence in economics, mathematics and statistics without going out of Africa, you should enroll in ASE. Even if you want to go beyond Africa’s borders later on, ASE is great starting point.

If You Want to Make the Most of Your Abilities and Reach Excellence, Enroll in ASE