The Centre of Policy Studies (CoPS), incorporating the former Impact Project, specializes in computable general equilibrium (CGE) modelling. CoPS undertakes academic/contract research and software development, conducts training courses in CGE modelling and offers graduate student supervision. CoPS is based at Victoria University, Melbourne (webpage).
According to RePEc, CoPS ranks in the top 10% of Australian economics departments or centres and in the top 15% of all world centres specializing in public policy research.
CoPS' suite of Australian models includes several detailed, dynamic CGE models of Australia, which have been used to analyse many economic policies, including changes in taxes, tariffs, environmental regulations and competition policy. CoPS CGE simulations also underlie detailed forecasts of labour market demand and income distribution.
VURM (formerly MMRF), a dynamic CGE model of Australia's states and territories, has been used for a wide range of applications including analyses of greenhouse issues. The MMRF3 version of the model has been used in the analysis of the Potential Benefits of the National Reform Agenda. TERM, a highly disaggregated model of 334 Australian sub-state regions, is a useful tool for examining the impacts of shocks that affect specific regions, e.g., drought.
CoPS has taken its modelling techniques overseas, completing projects in Brazil, China, Denmark, Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Uganda, USA, Vietnam and other countries. USAGE, a 500-industry dynamic computable general equilibrium model of the US economy, is being developed in collaboration with the US International Trade Commission. A simpler single-country model called ORANI-G has been created as a pattern on which to base models of other countries.
CoPS modelling relies on the GEMPACK software, developed at the unit, and used in over 400 other locations in 60 countries.
CoPS runs several training courses in CGE modelling each year. These courses are aimed at those who need background in CGE modelling to work with results from CGE models like ORANI-G, USAGE or TERM, or who wish to use GEMPACK to build their own models.
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See also the CoPS homepage at Victoria University.
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