The UPF Department of Economics and Business is honoured to commemorate the life and contributions of Associate Professor Ghazala Azmat, a beloved member of our community whose work and mentorship left a lasting mark on the field of economics, particularly in education, gender, labour markets, and organisational behaviour.

On 10 April 2026, the Department hosted a Memorial Day to honour Prof. Azmat's academic legacy and her enduring mark on colleagues, students, and the broader economics profession. The event, organised by Professors Rosa Ferrer, Vicente Cuñat, and Jan Eeckhout, brought together current and former researchers, co-authors, and peers, who shared their memories and highlighted Prof. Azmat's contributions to research and mentorship.

Prof. Azmat served as Assistant Professor in the Department from 2006 to 2012, and was promoted to Associate Professor in the academic year 2012-13. Since 2016 she served as Professor of Economics at Sciences Po. Her research, widely recognised for its rigour and policy relevance, addressed critical questions about inequality, education, and gender in the labour market. Among her most influential contributions were studies on gender gaps in earnings, the impact of relative performance feedback on student outcomes, and the role of aspirations in shaping professional trajectories. Her work has been published in leading journals, including the Journal of Political Economy, Management Science, and the Economic Journal, shaping both academic discourse and public policy.

The memorial event featured three sessions, each focusing on a key area of Prof. Azmat's work:

• Competition, Incentives, and Information, chaired by José Apesteguía, with presentations by Antonio Cabrales, Caterina Calsamiglia, and Marc Möller.
• Gender, Labour Markets, and Professional Progression, chaired by Albrecht Glitz, with presentations by Maia Güell and Rosa Ferrer.
• Education and Human Capital, chaired by Juan José Ganuza, with contributions from Nagore Iriberri and Vicente Cuñat.

The event also included a roundtable on fostering socioeconomic diversity in the economics profession, with presentations by Antonio Ciccone, Libertad González, and Laura Hospido, and concluded with final remarks and a moving piano performance by Giacomo Ponzetto.

The Department of Economics and Business at UPF remains deeply grateful for Prof. Azmat's contributions and will carry forward her legacy of excellence, collaboration, and dedication to social impact. She was a dedicated mentor, a champion for diversity in the profession, and a source of inspiration for scholars and students alike.