Human Capital Initiative

The Human Capital Initiative (HCI) advances interdisciplinary research on the role of human capital in human development to inform policy solutions to global challenges including poverty, women’s empowerment and sustainable economic growth through investments in education and health.

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HCI Publications & News

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• Later Entrance into Primary School May Improve Education, Health and Economic Outcomes – Evidence from Lesotho

  May 05, 2026

  Starting school at an older age may result in greater health, educational, and economic well-being among children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), according to... [ More ]

• Informality Is Africa’s Reality, And Its Policy Challenge: Takeaways from the ISHi – Africa Task Force

  March 17, 2026

  Across sub-Saharan Africa, informality is not the exception, but the economic reality. Four out of five workers in sub-Saharan Africa earn their living through the... [ More ]

• Request for Proposals: Human Capital Initiative PhD Summer Fieldwork Fellowships

  March 11, 2026

  Due date: Monday 6 April, 2026 (5pm EST) The Human Capital Initiative (HCI) at the Boston University Global Development Policy Center is pleased to announce a... [ More ]

• The Human Capital Initiative Announces the Winners of the 2026 Collaborative Grant Award

  February 11, 2026

  The Human Capital Initiative (HCI) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2026 Collaborative Grant award to advance innovative, policy-oriented research and support faculty-led... [ More ]

• Excess US Deaths Before, During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

  June 04, 2025

  Mortality rates decreased more slowly in the US than in other high-income countries (HICs) between 1980 and 2019, resulting in growing numbers of excess US deaths... [ More ]