PPE WINTER SCHOOL
Economics and Finance
THINKING WELL
Why do some societies become prosperous while others stagnate? When should governments intervene in markets? Can democracy be defended on the basis of better outcomes, or only as a matter of principle? What makes a decision rational when the future is uncertain?
These are difficult questions because they cannot be answered by memorising facts or applying a single formula. They require us to examine assumptions, weigh competing arguments, interpret evidence, and recognise that intelligent people may reach very different conclusions.
Over seven days in Singapore, students will pursue these questions through one of two programmes: Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) or Economics and Finance.
Each develops a different set of intellectual tools, but both share the same ambition: to help students think with greater precision, challenge arguments—including their own—and become more confident in reasoning about complex problems.
CURRICULUM
AND APPROACH
Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)
PPE brings together three disciplines that ask different questions about many of the same problems. Students will explore ethics and political philosophy, the history of political thought, political economy, microeconomics, game theory, and public choice.
Philosophical reasoning asks what justice requires; political analysis examines how institutions and power shape outcomes; economics investigates incentives, choices, and their consequences.
The disciplines are most interesting when they challenge one another. Can economic analysis tell us what governments ought to do, or only what their policies are likely to achieve? Can political institutions be judged without first deciding what justice means?
PPE encourages students to move between different ways of reasoning and to recognise the assumptions on which each depends.
Economics and Finance
Economics and Finance examines how individuals, firms, governments, and markets make decisions and allocate scarce resources. Students will explore microeconomics, macroeconomics, political economy, economic growth, strategic game theory, public policy, and financial economics, alongside the mathematical reasoning economists use to analyse complex problems.
We will ask what makes markets work well, why they sometimes fail, and when government intervention improves outcomes. Students will consider questions of growth, inequality, public goods, externalities, incentives, and financial decision-making, learning to use economic reasoning to assess competing explanations and policy choices.
JUNIOR AND
SENIOR COHORTS
Both Junior and Senior students engage with serious academic questions, with the level of analysis adapted to their stage of intellectual development.
Junior students (ages 12–15) build strong foundations in concepts, argument, evidence, and clear reasoning, while developing the confidence to challenge their own assumptions and those of others.
Senior students (ages 15–19) engage with greater theoretical and analytical depth, examining competing models, testing assumptions more rigorously, and developing the independence of thought expected in preparation for university-level study.
HOW WE TEACH
Teaching combines lectures with precepts: small-group discussions of six to nine students in which ideas introduced in lectures are examined, challenged, and developed.
Our emphasis throughout is on contestable questions: problems on which intelligent people can reasonably disagree.
Students are encouraged not merely to defend the positions they already find persuasive, but to understand the strongest arguments for views they reject. The aim is to develop precision in thought, confidence in discussion, and the intellectual humility to change one's mind when a better argument demands it.
What is PPE?
The PPE summer school touches on a wide range of topics, including ethics, metaethics, logic, epistemology, political philosophy, history of political thought, political economy, micro and macroeconomics, maths-for-economics, and game theory.
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Our interdisciplinary curriculum uses the material and methodology of each subject to illuminate the others.
FACULTY
Both programmes will be taught by distinguished academics with recognised expertise in the subjects they teach.
Our faculty will include leading professors and subject specialists in philosophy, politics, economics, and finance, drawn from some of the world’s foremost universities in Britain, America, and beyond. They are chosen not only for their academic distinction, but also for their ability to make difficult ideas compelling, challenge assumptions, and present persuasive arguments for conclusions students may not expect.
Martin Cox, the John Locke Institute’s Director General, who has taught economics at Oxford, will also contribute to the programme alongside our visiting faculty and academic preceptors.
At the John Locke Institute, conversations with faculty do not end when the lecture finishes. We encourage students to sit with academics at meals, continue arguments begun in lectures and precepts, and make full use of the opportunity to learn from them throughout the week.
For many students, these informal conversations become some of the most memorable and intellectually valuable parts of the programme.
Singapore
Singapore is an exceptionally fitting setting in which to study politics, economics, and finance. In little more than half a century, it has developed into one of the world’s most prosperous, connected, and influential city-states, combining global commerce and financial markets with distinctive approaches to government, public policy, and social organisation.
Beyond the classroom, students will have opportunities to explore a city shaped by Chinese, Malay, Indian, and international influences. From historic neighbourhoods and the Botanic Gardens to Marina Bay and one of Asia’s most recognisable skylines, Singapore combines cultural inheritance with remarkable economic and architectural transformation.
For students of PPE and Economics and Finance, the city provides more than an exciting backdrop. It offers a setting in which many of the questions explored during the programme—about prosperity, markets, government, institutions, and the choices societies make—can be considered in the world around them.
HOUSING
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Accommodation is in twin rooms with shared bathroom facilities.
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Male and female students will stay in different rooms. Students will also be living with people of the same age. ​​
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Free WiFi.​​​
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Self-service laundry.
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Access to hotel facilities (outdoor swimming pool, and fitness centre).​​
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SINGAPORE
Nestled at the crossroads of vibrant tradition and innovation, Singapore is a city where the gleaming skyline of modernity rises alongside historical gems and lush tropical landscapes. As one of the world's most dynamic and forward-looking cities, it offers a tapestry of cultures, where the tranquil beauty of heritage districts meets the futuristic allure of cutting-edge architecture.
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Beyond the classroom, you’ll have the chance to explore Singapore's multifaceted offerings. From the serene beauty of the Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to the iconic Marina Bay Sands, each corner tells a story of a proud history intertwined with bold aspirations for the future.
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We believe that the spirit of Singapore — its harmonious fusion of tradition and progress — will deeply enrich your experience, encouraging you to reach new heights in your pursuits. Like countless others, you too may find yourself captivated by this remarkable city’s endless possibilities.
