The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 900 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,000 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
Our affiliated professors are based at over 120 universities and conduct randomized evaluations around the world to design, evaluate, and improve programs and policies aimed at reducing poverty. They set their own research agendas, raise funds to support their evaluations, and work with J-PAL staff on research, policy outreach, and training.
Our Board of Directors, which is composed of J-PAL affiliated professors and senior management, provides overall strategic guidance to J-PAL, our sector programs, and regional offices.
We host events around the world and online to share results and policy lessons from randomized evaluations, to build new partnerships between researchers and practitioners, and to train organizations on how to design and conduct randomized evaluations, and use evidence from impact evaluations.
Browse news articles about J-PAL and our affiliated professors, read our press releases and monthly global and research newsletters, and connect with us for media inquiries.
Based at leading universities around the world, our experts are economists who use randomized evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty. Connect with us for all media inquiries and we'll help you find the right person to shed insight on your story.
J-PAL is based at MIT in Cambridge, MA and has seven regional offices at leading universities in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
J-PAL is based at MIT in Cambridge, MA and has seven regional offices at leading universities in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Our global office is based at the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It serves as the head office for our network of seven independent regional offices.
Led by affiliated professors, J-PAL sectors guide our research and policy work by conducting literature reviews; by managing research initiatives that promote the rigorous evaluation of innovative interventions by affiliates; and by summarizing findings and lessons from randomized evaluations and producing cost-effectiveness analyses to help inform relevant policy debates.
Led by affiliated professors, J-PAL sectors guide our research and policy work by conducting literature reviews; by managing research initiatives that promote the rigorous evaluation of innovative interventions by affiliates; and by summarizing findings and lessons from randomized evaluations and producing cost-effectiveness analyses to help inform relevant policy debates.
How do policies affecting private sector firms impact productivity gaps between higher-income and lower-income countries? How do firms’ own policies impact economic growth and worker welfare?
How can we identify effective policies and programs in low- and middle-income countries that provide financial assistance to low-income families, insuring against shocks and breaking poverty traps?
We host events around the world and online to share results and policy lessons from randomized evaluations, build new partnerships between researchers and practitioners, and train organizations on how to design and conduct randomized evaluations.
J-PAL Africa holds a webinar series each year for African students who would like to pursue graduate study in Economics, Public Policy, or related fields in North America or Europe. The webinars are spread throughout the year and aim to provide comprehensive information to African students on what...
Join the course team for a live webinar to explore the Data, Economics, and Design of Policy MicroMasters program, gain insights into the upcoming term, and have your questions answered in real time.
The IZA Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) are pleased to invite you to a policy roundtable on “Harnessing Rigorous Research to Shape Climate Policy and Inform the Public Debate” , taking place on the evening of Wednesday, 14 May 2025 , in Bonn...
This June, we are hosting a convening for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to celebrate the launch of J-PAL North America’s new Initiative for Effective US Crime Policy (IECP).
As part of the "Development Methodologies" Chair held by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, a summer school for African researchers, project leaders and other partners will be organised from July 7 to 11, 2025 in Dakar, on the campus of the African Center for Higher Studies in Management (CESAG).
The J-PAL Africa Evaluating Social Programs Course will provide a thorough understanding of randomized evaluations and pragmatic step-by-step training for conducting one’s own evaluation.
In this virtual panel event, we will gather experts and practitioners who use evidence to design girl-focused programmes to share their lessons on what we know, what we still need to learn, and how we can move forward on gender equity.
Join J-PAL North America's Homelessness and Housing Stability team and the State and Local Innovation Initiative to learn about two Evaluation Incubator opportunities.
This five-day course on evaluating social programs will provide a thorough understanding of randomized evaluations and pragmatic step-by-step training for conducting one’s own evaluation.
This webinar will introduce Digital Agricultural Innovations and Services Initiative's Fall 2022 funding priorities and provide information for African and South Asian scholars about how to apply for this funding.
As part of the "Development Methodologies" Professorship held by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, a summer school for African researchers and policymakers will be organised from 5 to 8 July 2022 in Abidjan, on the campus of the Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics (ENSEA).
J-PAL Latinoamérica y el Caribe junto a la Iniciativa de Género y Agencia Económica (GEA) de J-PAL organizarán un webinar, gratuito y en español sobre lecciones de evidencia para promover la agencia económica de las mujeres aplicable al contexto de Centroamérica, México y Colombia. Asimismo...
Rigorous research has shown that discriminatory practices are often embedded in the workplace. This webinar will address what strategies are effective at combating this type of bias.
This event will bring together German domestic policymakers, implementers, and actors of the German development cooperation to discuss and learn about evidence use and rigorous impact evaluation. Together we would like to work towards more evidence-informed programming and policymaking in Germany...