Prof. Alfred Steinherr

Born: 5th January 1944, Munich, Germany

Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (basic)

Present position

Chief Economist, European Investment Bank, Luxembourg (since 1995)
Professor of Economics, Free University of Bolzano

Previous positions

Founding Rector of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (1998-2003)
1995-2001: Chief Economist and Director General, Economics and Information Directorate, European Investment Bank, Luxembourg
1994-1995: Director and Chief Economist, Central and Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America; Financial Studies and Documentation
1987-1994: Director, Department of Financial Research, European Investment Bank, Luxembourg

Other responsibilities

1990-1998: Vice-President, ECU Banking Association, Paris

Academic positions

Université Catholique de Louvain
1973-1974: Assistant Professor
1974-1979: Associate Professor
1981-1988: Professor (Chair: International Trade and Finance)
1984-1988: President, Institut de Recherches Economiques (IRES)
1988-1998: Adjunct Professor

Part-time positions

1973-1977: Visiting Professor, John Hopkins University, Bologna, Italy
1974-1978 (total of 12 months): Visiting Scholar, Institut für Management und Verwaltung, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin
1976-1977, 1985-86: Visiting Professor, K.U. Leuven
1974-1987: Lecturer, Drew University European Program, Brussels
1984-1987: Lecturer, College of Europe, Bruges
1989-1998: Lecturer and Director of Studies, Centre Européen, Université de Nancy
1997: Lecturer, MBA-Programme, Université Libre de Bruxelles
1997-2002: Lecturer, Université d'Aix-en-Provence

Non-academic positions

1963-1964: Employee, Crédit Suisse, Zurich, Switzerland
1964-1965: Employee, Société de Banque Suisse, Geneva, Switzerland
April 1979 - June 1980: Consultant and Senior Economist, International Monetary Fund, Washington D.C., Research Department
July 1980 - November 1981: Consultant and Senior Economist, International Monetary Fund, Washington D.C., Central Banking Department
December 1981 - November 1984: Economic Councellor, Commission of the European Communities, Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, Brussels

Third World experience

Member of the selection jury for professorial appointments in economics, Algeria (1975) and Tunisia (1984)
IMF missions to Tunisia (1980), Senegal (1981) and Niger (1981)
1985: World Bank mission to Guinea: Elaboration of revised tariff and investment codes
1985: World Bank mission to Brazil: Evaluation of a structural adjustment loan
1985: UNIDO mission to 12 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa: Regional adviser for the Preferential Trade Area (PTA)
1986: UNIDO mission to Cameroon: Evaluation of a new methodology for preparation of a Plan Directeur d'Industrialisation
August - November 1988: Lecturer, Europe-China Management Programme, Beijing
August - September 1990: Lecturer, Fudan University, Shanghai
September 1994: Lecturer, People's Bank of China Graduate School, Beijing
1994-1998: Member of Permanent Advisory Group for the Government of Kazakhstan
August 1995 and 1996: Visiting Scholar, International Monetary Fund, Washington
August 1997: Lecturer, European Studies, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
August 1999: Lecturer, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur

Education

Licence es Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (summa cum laude), University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Diploma, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Madrid, Spain
Diploma, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Florence, Italy
M.A. Economics (summa cum laude), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada
M.S. Mathematics, George Washington University, Washington D.C., U.S.A
Ph.D. Economics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, U.S.A

Honours

First Prize of the B.A. Honours
1981: Premio San Vincent (with G. Basevi and G. Pecci)
1991: Third Prize, American Express Bank Review Award (with D. Gros)
1994: First Prize, American Express Bank Review Award (with D. Folkerts-Landau)
1992-1996: Member of the Scientific Committee of the Paolo Baffi Centre, Bocconi University, Milan
1992-1997: Member of the Council of the European Economic Association
1997: Treasurer of the European Economic Association
1998: Mérite éuropeen
1999: Chevalier de travail, Belgien
April 2002: Doctorat honoris causa, Université de Nancy, France

Abstract of the speech:

Slovakia is in the best position to benefit from excellent fundamental policies. First, it is a member of the EU. Second, it has a simple, transparent, and business-friendly tax system. Third, it has already developed a major hub for the automobil industry. The next step could be to develop the scientific potential to further make the automobil cluster attractive. The EIB is ready to support good projects with its very attractive financial conditions.