The ASE will host three major research centers:

• The Institute for Empirical Research in Political Economy (IERPE)
• The Institute for African Studies (IAS)
• The Institute for Finance and Management (IFM)

The ASE will also host an analytical social history Center, the Museum for Social Discovery.

Each institute will provide students and faculty with the opportunity to actively participate in research projects sponsored by government agencies, international organizations and private corporations. The sponsored projects will provide on campus employment to students and financial resources for faculty research and teaching and cultural activities. More importantly, the institutes would be the channel through which the ASE would engage policy-makers, private entrepreneurs and development agencies.

The Institute for Empirical Research in Political Economy (IERPE)

The IERPE [http://ireep.org] is an empirical research center, created 2004, considered one of the top think tanks in Africa. The center has conducted about 30 major surveys on Governance, Public Health, Education, Security, Agricultural Policies, and Electoral Behavior.  The IERPE has conducted or supervised the implementation of surveys in Benin, Burkina, Senegal, Madagascar, Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Mali and Togo.  The IERPE will continue this mission and aim to become the largest survey firm in Africa.  Given that Statistics and empirical research are at the core of the ASE curriculum, the IERPE would be an important asset to all our academic programs and at all levels.

The Institute for African Studies (IAS)

The IAS will specialize on qualitative research with particular emphasis on African history, sociology and anthropology.  In addition, the institute will promote African culture through the teaching of African languages, performing arts, and literary events for the community. Since African history is major requirement in the ASE curriculum; the IAS will also play a central role in the implementation of this part of the academic program.

The Institute for Finance and Management (IFM)

The IFM is a consulting firm that will provide technical support to local or international corporations on market research, marketing strategies, and human resources management. The institute will also provide financial and legal consulting services.   In addition, it will conduct original research in finance and management that will aim at uncovering various obstacles to entrepreneurship and private sector development in Africa.

Museum for Social Discovery

In order to promote a better understanding of the mechanics of economic and social development, and to promote analytical social history, the ASE plans to host a museum that would present exhibits on the determinants of social progress. Example exhibits could include the origins of social revolutions, the role of railroads on economic growth, and the emergence of work ethics. The museum could also illustrate the results of some groundbreaking experiments in economics, political science and psychology that come from student work or from one of the research centers.

The museum will take social science research to a large public through conferences, expert forums and seminars.