On the learning curve

Carving their own niche in the conference world, master's students from the economics departments at UCT, Stellenbosch University and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) got together for the seventh Economics Postgraduate Mini-Conference on 19 April.

The aim of the meeting is, firstly, to allow the students to share the range of their research. So, for example, UCT's Addis Haile spoke on exports and productivity in Ethiopia, Debra Shepherd from Stellenbosch on gender discrimination in the labour market, and Eduardo Macuacua of UWC on poverty alleviation programmes in Mozambique.

But, says UCT facilitator Corné van Walbeek, the gathering also gives delegates a taste of conference life in a 'fairly unthreatening' environment.

As it did Haile, who was so inspired by the 2006 event that she wanted to join in this year. Addressing a crowd still tested her courage, though.

'Standing on the podium is very different from sitting in the audience,' she said afterwards.