1.Introduction to Peking University Research Center for Market Economy

　　The Peking University Research Center for Market Economy (RCME) was established on March 22, 1996. It is an academic research institution (university level) affiliated with the School of Economics at Peking University.

 

　　In recent years, as a professional research institution, the center's projects have been funded by organizations such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Social Science Foundation of China, the Ministry of Education Humanities and Social Science Research Fund, the Chinese American Medical Society, and the Canadian International Development Center. The core research achievements of the center's team on market economy-related issues have been published in top academic journals both domestically and internationally, including Economic Journal , Journal of Economic Theory , Journal of Labor Economics , Rand Journal of Economics , Economic Research Journal , China Economic Quarterly , Management World , etc. Interdisciplinary research results have been published in internationally renowned academic journals such as The Lancet , Geneva Risk and Insurance Review , Social Science and Medicine , and Health Policy and Planning , etc. As a new type of think tank, the center also actively undertakes consulting projects for government and enterprise departments, regularly organizes academic forums and seminars, and participates in the formulation of national and local economic policies, generating widespread social impact.

　　

　　2.Research Areas

　　2.1 Health Economics

　　Health economics is an emerging interdisciplinary field within economics that focuses on issues related to population health and economic development. It involves theories and methods from multiple disciplines including economics, medicine, public health, environmental science, and sociology, characterized by its multidisciplinary integration and intersection. As a frontier and hot spot in current global research, health economics has achieved significant breakthroughs in key theories and core technologies through the absorption and integration of theories and methods from the aforementioned disciplines, forming a relatively independent and systematic body of knowledge and research methods.

 

　　With the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the aging population worldwide, countries are paying increasing attention to public health and the allocation of medical resources. Consequently, research and education in health economics have become more widespread and promoted globally. The fields of interest in health economics include:

　　(1) The "Healthy China" strategy and healthcare system reform

　　(2) Socioeconomic determinants of health

　　(3) Climate change, environment, and population health

　　(4) Resource allocation in pharmaceutical and healthcare services

　　(5) Health behaviors and healthy lifestyles

 

　　In recent years, as a professional research institution, the team at RCME has conducted a series of studies in health economics. Their core research findings have been published in top academic journals both domestically and internationally, including China Economic Quarterly , Management World , The Lancet , Geneva Risk and Insurance Review , etc. As a new type of think tank, the center also actively undertakes consulting projects for government and enterprise departments.

 

　　The center's projects mainly focus on two aspects of health economics. On the demand side, the research involves studies on individual health literacy. The project "The Formation Mechanism and Socioeconomic Impact of Health Literacy: Perspectives from Health Economics and Behavioral Economics" was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (General Program). On the supply side, the research involves studies related to healthcare system reform. The center has two funded projects in this area: "Comprehensive Evaluation of Sanming Healthcare Reform under the Context of Big Health" commissioned by the Sanming Healthcare Reform Leading Group of Fujian Province, and "The Impact of Healthcare Payment Reform on the Supply of Medical Services" funded by the Peking University School of Economics' Research Seed Fund for Young and Middle-aged Faculty. The projects undertaken by the center provide important references and guidance for the formulation of national and local health-related policies.

 

　　Main Responsibilities of the Research Assistant:

　　(1) Literature Collection, Reading, and Organization

• 　　Collect, read, and organize classical and cutting-edge literature within a specific research scope.
• 　　Master the basic research paradigms, ideas, and methods in the field.
• 　　Learn to write academic papers, policy reports, and survey research reports in this field.

　　(2) Data Collection and Cleaning

　　(3) Design of Empirical Methods

• 　　Design basic game models and general equilibrium models that may be involved.

　　(4) Writing and Collaboration (Time Permitting)

• 　　Participate in writing parts of papers or reports.
• 　　Collaborate on paper submissions.

 

　　Skill Requirements of the Research Assistant:

　　(1) Basic Empirical Research Skills

• 　　Proficient in using software such as STATA and R (experience with ArcGIS, Python, and Matlab is a plus).
• 　　Understanding of identification strategies and the basic framework of empirical papers.
• 　  Experience in writing empirical papers, building (and solving) game models, and constructing (and solving) general equilibrium models is preferred.

　　(2) Literature Collection and Data Cleaning

• 　　Proficient in literature collection and data cleaning methods.
• 　　Ability to read and produce content in English.
• 　　Experience in publishing papers, extensive experience in data collection and cleaning, and experience in writing policy reports are a plus.
• 　　Ability to perform basic data organization and cleaning tasks using existing databases or known data sources.​

​

　　2.2 Digital Economics

　　The digital economy, following agricultural and industrial economies, is the main form of economic activity. It is characterized by data resources as key elements, modern information networks as the main carriers, and the integration and application of information and communication technology along with the digital transformation of all factors as important driving forces. This new economic form promotes a greater unity of fairness and efficiency.

 

　　On April 10, 2020, the "Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Building a More Complete Market-oriented Allocation System and Mechanism for Factors of Production" explicitly identified data as the fifth factor of production, alongside land, labor, capital, and technology. Current research hotspots include understanding how data as a new factor of production drives economic growth, defining ownership rights, designing market trading mechanisms, and examining the substitution effects on other factors of production.

　　Main Responsibilities of the Research Assistant:

　　（1）Literature Review

• 　　Organize and review current research hotspots and classical literature.
• 　　Assist in completing literature reviews.

　　（2）Data Collection and Analysis

• 　　Collect and organize public datasets.
• 　　Perform necessary data cleaning.
• 　　Participate in the design and analysis of empirical models.

　　（3）Writing Research Reports or Academic Papers (if applicable)

 

　　Skill Requirements of the Research Assistant:

　　（1）Basic Economic Thinking and Common Econometric Methods

• 　　Proficiency in fundamental economic thinking and common econometric methods.
• 　　Experience in micro-empirical research is preferred.

　　（2）Knowledge of Artificial Intelligence and Large Models

• 　　Familiarity with artificial intelligence and large models.
• 　　Ability to independently complete dataset testing and training is preferred.

　　（3）Experience in Literature Review and Academic Writing

• 　　Extensive experience in reading, organizing literature, and writing academic papers is preferred.

​

　　2.3 Data Science

　　Data science has become an indispensable part of the modern economy. To remain competitive in this field, we utilize data science tools and techniques such as Python, and apply statistical and machine learning algorithms to process and analyze large datasets, making relevant estimations and predictions.

 

　　The center, in collaboration with Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, has successfully hosted four International Conferences on Computing and Data Science (CONF-CDS). These conferences provide a platform for scholars in computer science, data science, and related fields from around the world to exchange ideas, learn together, and explore common interests. The proceedings of the first two conferences have been published by IEEE CS CPS, and the papers have been indexed by IEEE Xplore, EI Compendex, and Google Scholar.

 

　　Main Responsibilities of the Research Assistant:

　　（1）Financial Asset Market Information Collection and Analysis

• 　　Collect and analyze the latest trends, dynamics, and data related to various financial assets.
• 　　Provide foundational data support for research reports.

　　（2）Research Report Writing

• 　　Write research reports based on collected data and analysis results.
• 　　Present research findings to provide scientific support for decision-making.

　　（3）Data Processing and Modeling

• 　　Use data science tools such as Python for data processing, modeling, and predictive analysis.

​

　　Skill Requirements of the Research Assistant:

　　（1）Educational Background

• 　　Relevant educational background in data science, statistics, financial engineering, machine learning, or computer science.
• 　　Proficiency in Python.

　　（2）Industry Research Experience

• 　　Some experience in industry research.
• 　　A certain level of understanding of different financial assets.
• 　　A strong interest in research.

　　

　　Genereal Requirements

　　3.1 Responsibilities

　　Research assistants will work part-time to assist center professors and researchers with various research topics. Responsibilities include literature review, questionnaire interviews, data analysis, mathematical modeling, report writing, and conference presentations. Participation can be online or offline, with a weekly time commitment of no less than 20 hours. By deeply engaging in the center's research projects, research assistants will receive scientific and systematic academic training, accumulate research experience, and develop independent thinking, quantitative analysis, and academic writing skills.

 

　　3.2 Application Requirements

　　（1）PhD, master's, or undergraduate students from prestigious domestic or international universities, with a strong academic willingness and sense of responsibility.

　　（2）Strong interest in academic research in the field of economics, with a foundational understanding of economic theory and quantitative and qualitative analysis (including mathematical modeling, statistical analysis, and questionnaire interviews).

　　（3）Ability to proficiently collect and organize relevant data and academic literature, and possess strong writing skills in both Chinese and English.

　　（4）Proficient in using common office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).

　　（5）Possess basic computer programming skills (e.g., Stata, Python, R, or MATLAB).

　　（6）Demonstrate good teamwork skills and the ability to collaborate with other center members to complete research tasks.

　　（7）Preference given to candidates with experience in publishing academic papers or research reports.

 

　　3.3 Benefits

　　（1）Participate in the center's core research projects, gain exposure to and learn advanced economic research methods, accumulate academic research experience, and receive regular one-on-one guidance from center staff.

　　（2）Attend or audit the center's academic seminars, lectures, and specialized courses.

　　（3）Receive a research assistant stipend based on actual work completed and performance.

     （4） Research assistants who work for more than three months and complete their tasks with high quality will receive a Research Experience Certificate from the center.

　　（5）Outstanding research assistants may receive an Academic Reference Letter from a center professor.

　　（6）Access to a fixed workstation in Beijing for onsite work.

　　

　　4.Application Procedure

　　Please send the following application materials in a single package to xiaolongli@pku.edu.cn (please specify your area of research interest):

　　(1) Resume

　    (2)  Proposal or research plan

    　(3)  Transcripts/English proficiency proof

　　(4)  Published academic papers or research reports (if any)

　　(5)  Copy of degree certificates (if any)