LICOS Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance is a research centre of the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Leuven (KU Leuven). Since its foundation in 1991 research at LICOS has focused on theoretical and empirical research of micro- and macro-economic aspects of transition, institutional changes and economic performance across the world.

In line with our University's mission statement, LICOS is internationally oriented and is working together with other research centres and institutes in Europe and throughout the world.

Over the past two decades LICOS research has resulted in a large number of international journal publications and books and has influenced policy-making in various countries and at international institutions.

Since 2004 more than 25 researchers obtained their PhD at LICOS and have since been hired by prestigious academic institutions and international organizations such as the IMF, ECB, World Bank, European Commission, OECD, FAO, etc.

In 2003 LICOS was chosen as a Centre of Excellence by the European Commission and in 2005, LICOS was selected as one of the twelve Centres of Excellence by the KU Leuven. This was reinforced by two new Centre of Excellence grants. Since 2009, LICOS is benefiting from support of the Methusalem fund, a program by the Flemish government to support excellent and reputed researchers at Flemish Universities. In 2010, LICOS, the Center for Economic Studies (CES) and VIVES were jointly awarded a 7-year Program Financing scheme by KU Leuven.