Annual report 2007 published
The Netspar 2007 annual report has been published. The report gives an overview of Netspar’s research results and the initiatives to exchange knowledge with the pensions and insurance sectors. It also shows that Netspar worked hard to implement the main recommendations of the Evaluation Committee installed by the partners and NWO: further improving partner contacts and internationalization of the network.The annual report is sent to all partner institutions. You can download it here or order a copy through the secretariat.
June 5, 2008
Van der Duyn Schouten appointed director Netspar
Frank van der Duyn Schouten, Rector Magnificus of Tilburg University, has been appointed Director of Netspar for 3 days a week. As from 1 April 2009 Frank and Theo Nijman will form the new board of Directors of Netspar. Frank will concentrate on management tasks and on the representation of international relations. This appointment allows current Scientific Directors Lans Bovenberg and Theo Nijman to focus on research and on developing Netspar as a knowledge network.For 2 days a week Van der Duyn Schouten will join the Department of Econometrics and Operations Research. See press release (in Dutch).
April 21, 2008
Extending working life: only if it pays
To retire at a later age will become increasingly attractive if a financial reward is in sight and if health is good. Financial incentives and health are the two most important factors which determine the time of retiring. If the government wants to keep people working longer, they should invest into a more taylor-made pension system, in improving the overall health and in providing a healthier work environment.
These are the conclusions of economist Arie Kapteyn (Tilburg Un., RAND and Netspar) resulting from his research into pension behaviour of employees from 12 European countries and the US. Kapteyn will present the results from this research at the Netspar Panel of April 23 in Tilburg. For more information, see the press release (in Dutch).
April 4, 2008
First copy Frontiers in Pension Finance presented at DNB
On Friday April 4, 2008 the first copy of the book Frontiers in Pension Finance (Edward Elgar Publishers) was presented to Dutch Central Bank (DNB) director Joanne Kellermann. Joanne is responsible for the supervision of pension funds. The book, edited by Broeders (DNB), Sylvester Eijffinger (Tilburg Un.) and Aerdt Houben (DNB/IOPS), contains the papers that were presented at the conference of the same name in March 2007, a joint initiative of DNB, Netspar and the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors (IOPS). The book investigates the potential for pension funds, governments and supervisors to improve the efficiency and resilience of pension systems.
February 14, 2008
Pieter Bouwknegt (NN) appointed as Netspar researcher
Pieter Bouwknegt (Nationale Nederlanden) has been appointed researcher with Netspar from February 2008. This is a part-time position (10%) related to the research theme of Antoon Pelsser (Amsterdam University) Valuation and Risk Management for Insurance Companies and Pension Funds. Together Bouwknegt and Pelsser will, among other things, write a textbook on fair valuation of life insurances. They also want to set up, in cooperation with the Actuarial Institute, a seminar on this subject for on-going education. Read more.
February 1, 2008
Winners Netspar Theses Awards 2007
Three Netspar Thesis Awards were presented during the workshop on January 31 in Utrecht. Mark Schouten (Tilburg Un.) wrote the best master's thesis: Hedging Inflation Risk. The best Master of Philosophy thesis was written by Jochen Mierau (Un. of Groningen) entitled Intra-household Allocation, Ageing, And Education in Overlapping Generations Models. An encouraging prize for the bachelor's thesis was handed to Kay Mennes (Tilburg Un.) for his thesis: Valuation of Pension Entitlements in Heterogeneous Populations. The awards are divided yearly among students of affiliated universities who write their thesis on a pensions and aging related issue.
January 31, 2008
Honorary Doctorate for Lans Bovenberg in Ghent
Lans Bovenberg (Director Netspar) will receive an honorary doctorate from Ghent University in Belgium on 21 March 2008.
January 7, 2008
Lans Bovenberg in Government Committee on Labour Participation
Lans Bovenberg is appointed in a committee that will investigate which measures have to be taken to increase labour participation up to 80 percent in 2016. The government has made the raise of labour participation its priority in order to safeguard prosperity and to preserve welfare-state facilities. As a fist step to realize this aim, the committee is asked to give an advice before June 1, 2008. More information (in Dutch).
December 19, 2007
Vici Grant for Netspar Researcher
Anja De Waegenaere (Tilburg University and Netspar) has been awarded an NWO Vici grant of € 1,250,000. Anja investigates the effects of increasing human lifetime on pension and health insurance systems. There is a need to consider interventions that can mitigate the adverse effects on pension and insurance providers, while still guaranteeing an adequate level of benefits to participants. Anja’s project will develop models for optimal redesign of pension and insurance deals, as well as optimal risk management strategies. The Vici grants are the most substantial grants in the NWO Innovational Research Incentives Scheme (veni, vidi, vici).
December 11, 2007
Henriette Prast in Scientific Council for Government Policy
Henriette Prast has been appointed as one of the new members of the Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) as of January 1, 2008. Henriette Prast is professor of Personal Financial Planning at Tilburg University (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration) and senior researcher of Netspar. The WRR advises the government about future developments of great public interest using a scientific approach. The government can use these advisory opinions in order to readjust existing policy, or to develop new policy or as support for decision making.
November 30, 2007
Lans Bovenberg in Top 100 most influential Dutchmen
Lans Bovenberg has been listed in a Top 100 of most influential Dutchmen, which was published this week by the Dutch weekly HP/De Tijd. The list shows 5 categories: leaders, scientists, artists, heroes and ceo's/tycoons. Bovenberg has been classified as tycoon!
November 30, 2007
Students value MSc Economics and Finance of Aging
Students of the MSc Economics and Finance of Aging are very satisfied with the education and lecturers of their MSc. Students find the program interesting, challenging but not too difficult. They appreciate the interaction with the lecturers, the good support, and they value the internships at partner institutions of Netspar.
‘ During your internship you get a good insight in the practical side of the pension business and you receive good feedback on your progress’ says Siert Jan Vos. He followed an internship at the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) and graduated last November. Most of the graduates were offered a job after their internship.
November 6, 2007
Netspar...to be continued!
The financing of the second phase of Netspar is now a fact! The government and private partners from the pension and insurance sector have jointly raised 14 Million Euro for the period of April 2008 till April 2011. This considerable amount enables us to further develop Netspar as knowledge network and to start up her international wings. We thank all sponsors for the given trust! In the next few months Netspar will further work out the future plans.
Press release(in Dutch)
October 26, 2007
Press release on Rome Summit which took place on October 25, 2007
October, 2007
Netspar helps shaping European agenda on Aging
The European Science Foundation (ESF) has accepted the proposal Ageing, Health and Pensions in Europe, submitted by Netspar through the Netherlands Royal Academy of Sciences (KNAW). The proposal aims at helping to shape the research agenda on the economics of ageing in Europe in the next ten years.
Read More
October, 2007
Christian Gollier joins Scientific Council
Prof. Christian Gollier joins Netspar’s scientific council. Gollier, professor in Economics at University of Toulouse and Director of the FFSA Chair of Insurance at IDEI, is a renowned economist with an active interest in pension contracts. Gollier succeeds Axel Börsch-Supan (Mannheim) who stepped down recently. The council advises the board of directors of Netspar and evaluates proposals for theme grants in terms of scientific quality.
You can find the other members of the scientific council here.
October, 2007
Zvi Bodie honored
Zvi Bodie, member of the Netspar Scientific Council, Professor of Finance and Professor of Management at the School of Management at Boston University, has received The Lifetime Achievement in Applied Retirement Research Award. Given by the Retirement Income Industry Association (RIIA) during the Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner, Bodie was honored for a career dedicated to applying investment science to the problems faced by consumers in saving for a secure retirement. "Professor Bodie's contributions to retirement research have benefited generations of business leaders, financial services industry executives, and average American investors and retirees alike. That's a unique and extraordinary achievement," said Gil Weinreich, of the Award Committee. " For more than three decades, Bodie's research has focused on pensions and retirement plans. Source: BOSTON (BUSINESS WIRE)