Equality of Opportunity and Social Mobility Policy Workshop

The Equality of Opportunity and Social Mobility Policy Workshop on 12–13 November 2026 will bring together academics, policymakers, and practitioners to explore cross-sectoral responses to the challenges posed by inherited inequalities.

Across a rich two-day programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science, policy insight, practical experience, and research-frontier knowledge will interweave to help shape the future of the field.

This event is organised by the International Inequalities Institute at the London School of Economics, in partnership with the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the World Bank.

This event was made possible thanks to funding from the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity (AFSEE) programme.

Call for papers

We invite submissions of academic papers on equality of opportunity and social mobility. Papers with a policy focus will be given priority, and we particularly encourage submissions from junior researchers. Both full papers and extended abstracts will be considered. Accepted contributions will feature in either the paper presentation sessions or the poster session.

Submission deadline: 21 August 2026.

Papers or extended abstracts should be submitted to l.a.sirugue@lse.ac.uk. Please indicate any preferences between the presentation and poster sessions.

Preliminary programme

Thursday 12 November

13:00–13:30: Registration & coffee

13:30–13:50: Welcome & release of GEOM 2.0

13:50–14:50: Keynote lecture
Speaker: Prof Markus Jäntti, Stockholm University.
Chair: Prof Francisco H. G. Ferreira, LSE.

15:05–16:45: Mobility and Opportunity around the World
- Dr Carlotta Balestra, OECD
- Dr Zsoka Koczan, EBRD
- Dr Daniel Gerszon Mahler, World Bank
Discussant: Dr Pedro Salas-Rojo, CUNEF
Chair: Prof Vito Peragine

16:45–17:15: Coffee break

17:15–18:45: Academic paper presentations I

18:45–20:00: Reception & poster session

Friday 13 November

09:00–09:30: Registration & coffee

09:30–11:10: Mobility and Opportunity in the Global South
- Andrés Espejo, ECLAC
- Dr Rafael de Hoyos, IADB
- More panelists TBA
Discussant: Andrea Encalada, AFSEE
Chair: Dr H. Xavier Jara, LSE

11:25–12:45: Interactions Between Mobility and Opportunity
- Dr Paolo Brunori, University of Florence
- Prof Sonya Krutikova, University of Manchester, IFS
- Prof Lindsey Macmillan, UCL
- Prof Martin Nybom, Uppsala University, IFAU
Discussant: Dr Louis Sirugue, LSE
Chair: TBD

12:45–14:00: Lunch

14:00 – 15:30: Mobility and Opportunity: Lessons and Stories from the Ground
- Faith Chitawo, AFSEE Fellow
- Lauren Díaz Arias, AFSEE Fellow
- Ida Thien, AFSEE Fellow
Discussant: Prof Aaron Reeves, LSE
Chair: Prof Armine Ishkanian, AFSEE – LSE

15:30–16:00: Coffee break

16:00–17:30: Academic paper presentations II

17:30–17:40: Closing remarks