UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE

Welcome to the Chair of Prof. Dr. Axel Ockenfels

We are interested in the behavior of people and the design of markets and organizations. How can climate cooperation emerge? How can financial markets be disciplined? What radical innovations in market design are made possible by digitization? What are the optimal strategies in auctions and negotiations? How can we help avoid traffic jams? How can the electricity market become greener? How can trust develop in a digital world? What role does fairness and morality play in behavior and economic design? These questions fascinate us. Our research in these areas has won many awards and at the same time has great influence on strategy and design in numerous political and economic fields.

In our problem-oriented lectures and seminars, we focus on teaching methods of game theory and behavioral science to students that links modern economic research and the small and large, individual and social challenges of life.

Our chair also operates the Cologne Laboratory for Economic Research (CLER), where economic experiments are conducted. In this laboratory, we give students from all faculties the opportunity to experience research at first hand through their participation and earn money in the process. Our laboratory was founded in 2005 and is the largest of its kind in the world.

We wish you lots of fun on our website.