Written by: Xiangqing Wang, Jifan Wu, Yaojia Wu, Yudong Wu
Photos and Edited by: Ying Chen, Anyu Lin
From May 20-23, 2025, Professor Hans Koster from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam visited College of Economics, Xiamen University. Beyond formal presentations, Professor Koster engaged extensively with faculty and students, demonstrating how academic exchange transcends traditional seminar formats to encompass scholarly dialogue and field-based learning.
Research in Dialogue: Academic Exchanges and Methodological Insights
Professor Koster's visit featured substantive academic engagement through multiple formats. Individual meetings with faculty and students explored compelling research questions and methodological challenges in urban economics, covering topics from identification strategies in spatial analysis to navigating the publication process for international journals. These sessions demonstrated how constructive dialogue and mentorship can advance research quality while fostering mutual learning.
In his afternoon seminar, Professor Koster presented "Industrial Agglomeration in China," offering a comprehensive analysis of spillover effects within industrial clusters. He skillfully integrated theoretical frameworks with empirical evidence from Chinese cities, generating lively discussions about comparative urban development patterns and methodological approaches to studying agglomeration economies. The session highlighted the critical importance of rigorous empirical analysis in frontier urban economics research.
Urban Economics in the Field: Xiamen as a Living Laboratory
Our exploration of Xiamen transformed sightseeing into applied urban economic analysis. Professor Koster emphasized that many of his research inspirations come from real-life observations that pique his curiosity—a perspective that set the tone for our entire field experience.
The journey from campus to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail revealed ongoing infrastructure development, including new green spaces and subway construction that exemplify how public investment shapes urban spatial restructuring. Discussions with Professor Koster helped us interpret these observations through the lens of theoretical frameworks we had studied, connecting real-world development to concepts of public goods provision and spatial economics.
Gulangyu Island offered a compelling case study in heritage preservation versus urban modernization. From Sunlight Rock's summit, we could observe the spatial arrangement of Zhangzhou's industrial zones, Xiamen's modern skyline, and Gulangyu's preserved architecture—a view that illustrated regional economic integration and land use differentiation in action. This panoramic perspective sparked discussions on agglomeration economies, spatial planning policies, and the ongoing tension between preservation and development, all core themes in urban and real estate economics.
Also striking was an urban block that exhibited sharp commercial differentiation: traditional local businesses operated alongside international restaurants serving distinctly different demographic segments. Professor Koster noted how such observations often generate research questions about consumer segmentation, local specialization, and the economic forces driving neighborhood transformation—representing some of the frontier topics in urban research.
Student Perspectives
Jifan Wu：
Professor Koster impressed me deeply with his humor, energy, and warm approach during our conversations, creating a friendly atmosphere. Despite my numerous academic queries, he demonstrated remarkable patience and clarity, methodically addressing my questions and generously sharing invaluable insights from his own research experiences. Additionally, during our individual discussion, Professor Koster provided practical and constructive suggestions tailored to my current research project, significantly benefiting my academic progress.
Yaojia Wu:
We are deeply grateful to our institution for facilitating such interactive sessions with distinguished international scholars like Professor Koster. During his brief visit, Professor Koster offered us a rich and engaging exploration of spatial economics, which significantly broadened our horizons. His insights and perspectives were both enlightening and inspiring, creating a memorable learning experience for us all.
Xiangqing Wang:
Professor Koster’s guidance offered both academic depth and curiosity-driven inspiration. His insights added a profound academic dimension to our journey, helping us interpret what we saw through the lens of urban economics—be it agglomeration, accessibility, or spatial differentiation. More than a tour, our exploration of Gulangyu became an inquiry into the deeper structures that shape cities. I’m especially thankful for the opportunity to learn from Professor Koster not only through lectures, but through shared observation and discussion in the field.
Yudong Wu:
I am very happy to have the chance to talk and interact with Prof Hans Koster, who is professional, enthusiastic, and informative. Through a lecture and a half-day trip, I not only learnt some frontier research in urban economics but knew more about European culture and graduate school application, which is beneficial for my further studies. His warm and distinctive personality impressed me much as well and encouraged me to maintain a positive attitude towards life.
Redefining Academic Exchange
Professor Koster's visit demonstrated that meaningful academic exchange extends beyond formal presentations to encompass field-based learning, individual mentorship, and scholarly dialogue. By combining theoretical discussions with empirical observation of urban phenomena, the visit exemplified how research inspiration can emerge from careful observation of real-world economic processes.
