With climate policies stalling and global emissions rising, how can governments move forward? Already in 2021, Nobel laureate Jean Tirole argued for a climate club of the willing – a coalition of committed nations enforcing meaningful CO₂ pricing and border taxes. In an interview with Neue Zürcher Zeitung during the UBS Center Forum, Tirole warned against relying on grand summits and simplistic green job promises. Instead, he emphasized research, innovation, and fair incentives – ideas that remain central to today’s climate debates.

We warmly congratulate Kaspar Villiger on his appointment as Honorary President of the UBS Foundation of Economics in Society. This recognition honors his visionary leadership and his pivotal role in shaping the foundation and the UBS Center. Under his guidance, the UBS Center has grown into a leading institution that fosters world-class economic research at the Department of Economics at the University of Zurich and facilitates dialogue between academia, business, politics, and society.

Can working-memory training improve children’s cognitive and academic skills? A study by Ernst Fehr and co-authors shows that early interventions significantly enhance IQ, math abilities, and self-control. Three years later, children who received the training were far more likely to enter advanced secondary schools. The research underscores the long-term benefits of cognitive training in early education.

We warmly congratulate UBS Foundation Professor Dina Pomeranz on her appointment as Associate Professor ad personam at the University of Zurich. As a leading researcher in public finance and taxation, she has worked closely with policymakers in Chile, Ecuador, and Kenya to improve economic governance. Dina has been recognized as one of Switzerland’s most influential economists and continues to bridge research with policy impact.