In preparation for the Institute’s 100th anniversary, which will be celebrated in 2027, the Institute has produced a series of videos featuring its distinguished alumni, faculty members and friends.
In this video, Ugo Panizza, Professor of International Economics at the Graduate Institute, meets Charles Wyplosz, Honorary Professor of International Economics and one of Europe’s most influential economists. A specialist in international macroeconomics, monetary integration and European economic governance, Charles Wyplosz taught and conducted research at the Institute for more than three decades, helping to shape both the institution’s academic profile and the broader policy debate on Europe’s economic future.
In this conversation, Charles Wyplosz reflects on his personal and intellectual journey, from his upbringing in Vichy and his training as an engineer to his discovery of economics and doctoral studies at Harvard University. He explains why he chose to return to Europe at a time when academic economics was still largely fragmented along national lines and recalls the emergence of a new generation of internationally connected European economists.
He discusses the transformation of economic research in Europe during the 1980s and the role played by organisations such as the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) in fostering collaboration across borders. He also revisits the formative years of European monetary integration, describing his involvement in the debates that accompanied the creation of the euro and his interactions with leading policymakers such as Jacques Delors and Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa.
Charles Wyplosz reflects on his decision to join the Graduate Institute, attracted by its intimate academic environment, its strong policy orientation and its commitment to addressing real-world challenges through rigorous scholarship. He explains how his teaching and research philosophy was shaped by a desire to make economics relevant beyond academic circles, a perspective that would influence generations of students and policymakers.
The interview also explores his role in developing the International Center for Monetary and Banking Studies (ICMB) and creating the Geneva Reports on the World Economy, a publication series that became an international benchmark and inspired similar initiatives across Europe. Looking back on his career, he discusses the importance of bridging academic research and public policy, paying tribute to his mentor Rudi Dornbusch, whose influence continues to shape economic thinking around the world.
Finally, Charles Wyplosz shares his reflections on artificial intelligence, the current challenges facing Europe and the evolution of the economics profession. He speaks about his ongoing intellectual projects, including a forthcoming book on Europe’s economic difficulties, and offers advice to young economists, encouraging them to pursue original questions, challenge established thinking and seek ideas that can make a meaningful contribution to society.