In the first episode of the GS4S mini-series, Colleen Boland and Ksenija Ivanović have a conversation with Mahdi Ghodsi, an Economist at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw), one of the partner organizations of GS4S.
Ghodsi has extensive experience in applied econometrics, macroeconomic modelling, and data science, with a particular focus on global markets, trade policy, trade regulations, financial and labour market analysis, migration policy, economics of sanctions, and Iran’s economy. Recently, he led GS4S research on the role of skills shortages in shaping migration aspirations in the Western Balkans.
In this episode, Ghodsi discusses the relevance and key findings of the GS4S research. He reflects on challenges encountered during the process, and how these were overcome to result in novel indicators of skills shortages. The episode also digs deeper into the policy implications of skills-oriented migration from the Western Balkans to the European Union.
Listen to the full episode here.