A collaboration between the University of Chile and the University of Groningen has paved the way for Javier Vásquez to become the first student from the School of Economics and Business to relocate to the Netherlands for a dual-supervised doctoral thesis.
Javier Vásquez, a Business and Economics graduate majoring in Economics and a current PhD student, began his residency in the Netherlands on February 1st. He will remain there until July to obtain degrees from both institutions.
Vásquez was motivated to apply for the program by the opportunity to live abroad and earn an additional degree from a prestigious European university in a relatively short timeframe. “I believe that having an additional degree from a major European university will significantly benefit me when entering the labor market and make me more competitive,” the researcher noted.
The process began last July, after Vásquez attended an information session led by Professor Lautaro Roig Lanzillotta—the Academic Ambassador for the Humanities from the University of Groningen—regarding double-degree doctoral opportunities. The application process spanned six months, during which he received full institutional backing, including a living stipend provided by FEN.
His doctoral thesis consists of three chapters evaluating health policies and shocks and their relationship with the labor market and household financial stability. In Santiago, his work is supervised by Professor Esteban Puentes; in Groningen, he is guided by academics Viola Angelini and Stefan Pichler.
The chapter developed in Chile with Esteban Puentes evaluates the effects of disability on employment and wages, distinguishing between the formal and informal sectors. The second chapter, which he is currently developing, analyzes how health shocks affect debt usage, including credit cards and bank or informal loans. His primary contribution will be identifying whether Chile’s Plan GES (State-Guaranteed Health Plan) effectively provides financial protection by comparing those who have access to the coverage against those who do not.
Vásquez describes the experience in Groningen as highly beneficial, noting the institution’s renowned specialization in health research. This has allowed him to access cutting-edge studies that complement his training at FEN.
“Both universities are excellent and maintain high research standards. I have been able to acquire various analytical, theoretical, and practical tools that leave me feeling confident and prepared to join any high-level research center or university,” Vásquez concluded from Europe.