Background and History since 1998

The Colloquium on Personnel Economics (COPE) is an annual conference of German-speaking and since 2010 also of international researchers who focus on the economic analysis of personnel policies, often including aspects of vocational education and training.
The Colloquium was established in 1998 by Prof. Dr. Uschi Backes-Gellner and Prof. Dr. Matthias Kräkel. Over the years the organizing team has been extended and changed. As of 2014, the core organizing team consists of Prof. Dr. Uschi Backes-Gellner, Zurich University, Prof. Dr. Alex Bryson, UC London, Prof. Dr. Oliver Fabel, Vienna University, and Prof. Dr. Kerstin Pull, Tuebingen University.

Celebrating 20 Years of COPE (PDF, 4 MB)

Booklet 20 Years of COPE (PDF, 38 MB)

Official COPE Website

25th Colloquium on Personnel Economics

Save the date:

The 25th Colloquium on Personnel Economics will take place in Amsterdam from March 22 to 24, 2023. 

For the call for papers (tba) and additional information please visit COPE conference website

Conference programs of past Colloquia on Personnel Economics:

2022 Conference program Herning (PDF, 174 KB)

2022 Conference Homepage Herning

2020 Conference program London

2020 Conference Homepage London

2019 Conference program Augsburg (PDF, 1 MB)

2019 Conference Homepage Augsburg

2018 Conference program Munich (PDF, 2 MB)

2018 Conference Homepage Munich

2017 Conference program Zurich (PDF, 1 MB)

2017 Conference Homepage Zurich

2016 Conference program Aachen (PDF, 811 KB)

2015 Conference program Vienna (PDF, 284 KB)

2015 Conference Homepage Vienna

2014 Conference program Cologne (PDF, 385 KB)

2013 Conference program Tuebingen (PDF, 52 KB)

2012 Conference program Paderborn (PDF, 128 KB)

2011 Conference program Zurich (PDF, 577 KB)

2010 Conference program Trier (PDF, 127 KB)

2009 Conference program Vienna (PDF, 119 KB)

2008 Conference program Bonn (PDF, 115 KB)

2007 Conference program Tuebingen (PDF, 13 KB)

2006 Conference program Zurich (PDF, 126 KB)

2005 Conference program Constance (PDF, 2 MB)

2004 Conference program Bonn (PDF, 90 KB)

2003 Conference program Zurich (PDF, 194 KB)

2002 Conference program Bonn (PDF, 47 KB)

2001 Conference program Trier (PDF, 98 KB)

2000 Conference program Freiburg (PDF, 159 KB)

1999 Conference program Cologne (PDF, 133 KB)

1998 Conference program Bonn (PDF, 17 KB)

Please click here for 

Celebrating 15 Years of COPE (PDF, 220 KB)