Parvis School of Economics and Music Campus Manchester is proud to announce a major academic initiative focusing on the rapidly evolving field of behavioural economics and decision sciences. This initiative, launched in early 2025, marks a significant development in the institution’s interdisciplinary approach, integrating rigorous economic theory with empirical psychology and neuroscience to better understand human decision-making in complex environments.

Establishing the Behavioural Economics and Decision Sciences Institute

The newly founded Behavioural Economics and Decision Sciences Institute embodies the school’s commitment to cutting-edge research and education that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. The institute is designed to serve as a hub for innovative research, advanced teaching, and policy engagement, addressing pressing economic and social challenges through a nuanced understanding of human behaviour.

Key features of the institute include:

• Interdisciplinary Research Laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art experimental and neuroimaging technologies to study cognitive processes underlying economic choices.
• Advanced Data Analytics Suites enabling big data analysis, machine learning applications, and behavioural modelling.
• Collaborative Research Programmes that bring together economists, psychologists, neuroscientists, and music cognition experts to explore decision-making from multiple angles.
• Policy Impact Units focused on translating research findings into actionable recommendations for governments, financial institutions, and cultural organisations.

This comprehensive infrastructure supports a research agenda that investigates how biases, heuristics, emotions, and social contexts influence economic decisions, from individual consumer behaviour to large-scale market dynamics.

Curriculum Innovation Across Educational Levels

The institute’s influence extends beyond research into a transformative curriculum redesign spanning the school’s high school, undergraduate, and postgraduate programmes. Students engage with behavioural economics concepts from early stages, developing critical skills in experimental design, statistical analysis, and ethical considerations in behavioural interventions.

Highlights include:

• High School Programme introducing foundational concepts in decision sciences, supported by interactive workshops and real-world case studies.
• Undergraduate Degrees offering specialised modules in behavioural economics, neuroeconomics, and quantitative methods, with opportunities for hands-on research participation.
• Postgraduate Research Opportunities including doctoral projects focused on pioneering topics such as the neural basis of economic preferences, behavioural finance, and the impact of digital environments on decision-making.

This vertical integration ensures that students develop a robust, research-informed understanding of behavioural economics, preparing them for careers in academia, policy, finance, and beyond.

Global Collaborations and Knowledge Exchange

Recognising the global nature of behavioural research, the institute has forged strategic partnerships with leading universities and research centres worldwide. These collaborations facilitate joint research projects, faculty and student exchanges, and international conferences hosted on the Manchester campus.

Notably, the institute is aligning its research agenda with global trends identified in recent academic reputation surveys, which highlight the increasing importance of interdisciplinary approaches to social sciences and the integration of empirical methods in economic research. This positions Parvis School as a competitive and innovative player on the global academic stage.

Micro-Level Research Breakthroughs

At the micro-level, the institute has already produced significant insights into decision-making mechanisms. Recent pilot studies have examined:

• The role of emotional regulation in consumer spending habits under economic uncertainty.
• How musical training influences risk perception and cognitive flexibility, revealing unexpected synergies between music cognition and economic behaviour.
• The effects of digital nudges on saving behaviour among young adults, with implications for financial literacy programmes.

These studies exemplify the institute’s unique interdisciplinary ethos and its commitment to empirical rigour.

Impact on Policy and Industry

The Behavioural Economics and Decision Sciences Institute is actively engaging with policymakers and industry leaders to translate research into practical solutions. Current projects include advising local government on behavioural interventions to improve public health outcomes and collaborating with financial institutions to design ethical, evidence-based consumer products.

This engagement ensures that the school’s academic work contributes tangibly to societal well-being and economic resilience, reinforcing its role as a thought leader in applied behavioural science.

Faculty Excellence and Student Opportunities

The institute attracts distinguished scholars with expertise spanning economics, psychology, neuroscience, and data science. Faculty members benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration, access to advanced research infrastructure, and opportunities to influence policy and practice.

Students enjoy enriched learning environments, access to cutting-edge research projects, and pathways to prestigious internships and employment in sectors where behavioural insights are increasingly valued.

Looking Forward

As Parvis School of Economics and Music Campus Manchester advances its leadership in behavioural economics and decision sciences, it sets a new standard for integrated education and research in the United Kingdom. The institute’s work not only deepens academic understanding but also equips students and society to navigate the complexities of decision-making in an ever-changing world.

This initiative exemplifies the school’s vision of fostering innovation, interdisciplinary excellence, and societal impact, preparing graduates to become insightful leaders and innovators in economics and beyond.