Infrastructure funds

Alongside the explosion of the private equity industry and the popularity of alternative asset classes, infrastructure funds have grown explosively in number and size in the past years. Infrastructure funds have, however, so far received virtually no attention from academic researchers. The university research centre receiving support under the EIBURS would be expected to set up a research programme focused on analysing the drivers of infrastructure funds and their impact on the market for infrastructure finance as well as related public policy issues. Specifically, the research programme would address the reasons for the growth of the market for infrastructure assets and the role of infrastructure funds in it; the impact and importance of infrastructure funds for infrastructure finance in Europe; the risks associated with infrastructure funds; and the scope for public policy intervention in regulating infrastructure funds.

The project may involve any additional activity that the University Centre would be ready to undertake with the sponsorship in the line of research, including:

• Organization of courses and seminars
• Creation of databases
• Surveys