8:52 a.m., June 28, 2010----Burt Abrams, professor of economics in the University of Delaware's Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, recently returned from a visiting professorship at Shandong Economic University in Shandong, China.

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During May and June, Abrams taught a first-year graduate student economics course at Shandong Economic University in banking, macroeconomics and the current U.S. financial crisis. The tailor-made course drew heavily on Abrams' research and expanded on existing economics literature and policies.

Abrams was also a guest lecturer at Beijing Institute of Technology during his stay, where he spoke further about the current U.S. financial crisis and the response of the Federal Reserve.
Abrams first visited China over 25 years ago as a Fulbright professor at Nankai University in Tianjin, China, and his interests in research and teaching abroad grew from there.

“This was actually my fifth visit to China and to compare 25 years ago to today is truly astonishing,” said Abrams. “The improvements in living standards for faculty and university life in general are impressive.”

Abrams also noticed substantial growth at the university.

“Shandong Economic University has been growing rapidly and has over 20,000 students today,” he said. “There is also a proposed merger with another university in the city, which would make them even larger.”

Jinan, the provincial capital of Shandong, is a city of about two million people whose primary economic activity is light industry.

The opportunity to teach at Shandong Economic University came to Abrams through a mutually beneficial relationship formed during his first visit to Nankai years ago.

“Jizu Wang, who received his doctorate from the University of Illinois in the 1940s, returned to China and was caught up in its turmoil for the next four decades,” said Abrams. “He visited UD several times in more recent years, and two years ago received an honorary award of appreciation from the Lerner College for teaching at and friendship towards UD.

“Wang hosted us to a Winter Session program two decades ago and has since recommended Chinese faculty who have studied with him to be visiting scholars at UD. He is a great academic contact.”

Abrams, who holds both a master's degree and a doctorate from Ohio State University, joined the UD faculty in 1974. His teaching and research interests include monetary economics, macroeconomics and public choice.

Through his research, Abrams has explored the determinants of economic growth and factors that affect long-term unemployment rates. He has also examined issues related to monetary policy under the Nixon administration using the Nixon tapes as source material.

Article by Kathryn A. Marrone