Innovation shapes the future—but who shapes innovation?

In the summer semester 2026, Applied Economic Theory: Introduction to Innovation Policy invites you to explore one of the most powerful forces behind economic transformation. Why do governments invest in innovation? How do policies accelerate—or hinder—technological change? And what really happens when theory meets political reality?

Grounded in Neo-Schumpeterian and evolutionary economics, this course takes you beyond textbook models and into the dynamic world of innovation systems, policy instruments, and real-world decision-making. From SME support and research funding to the energy transition and electromobility, you will examine how innovation policy operates across national and international levels

Through critical discussion, case studies, and independent research, you will learn to decode innovation indicators, evaluate policy effectiveness, and develop your own evidence-based perspectives. The course empowers you not just to understand innovation policy—but to question it, analyze it, and apply it to complex contemporary challenges.

Whether you are interested in economic theory, public policy, sustainability, or technological change, this seminar offers the analytical tools to understand how innovation is governed—and how it shapes our economic future.

Syllabus