Dr. Alma Ramsden

Work at ZHAW

Position

Deputy Head Center for Public Financial Management | Lecturer | Project Manager

Focus

Public Financial Management | Data Science & AI in the Public Sector | Data-Driven Decision-Making in Public Administration | Financial Analysis, Benchmarking | Monitoring & Evaluation | Social Policy | Taxation

Teaching

• Master Summer School Public Financial Management
• Bachelor Economics & Politics, Public Financial Management
• Master Introduction into Development Cooperation
• CAS Financial Leadership

Experience

• Lecturer
  University of St. Gallen
  2016 - 2019
• Project Manager
  Interface Politikstudien Forschung & Beratung
  2016 - 2019
• Scientific Researcher
  University of St. Gallen
  2013 - 2016
• Scientific Researcher
  World Demographic and Ageing Forum
  2011 - 2013
• Scientific Researcher
  The Club of Rome
  2009 - 2011

Education and Continuing education

Education

• Ph.D. / Economics and Finance
  University of St. Gallen
  2012 - 2015
• Master of Arts in Economics
  University of St. Gallen
  2009 - 2011
• Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Social Anthropology
  University of Basel
  2005 - 2008

Continuing Education

CAS ETH Applied Information Technology
ETH
2024

Network

Social media

Linkedin

Projects

• Analysis of Context Developments of the City of Winterthur / Co-project leader / completed
• Analysis of the Financial Development of the City of Winterthur / Project leader / completed
• Fiscal data pipeline for local government research in Indonesia / Team member / completed
• Evidence-based decision making in NPOs / Project leader / completed
• Fiscal Stress and Resilience Assessment Framework for Swiss Municipalities / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Bütler, M. and Ramsden, A. (2022) 'How taxes impact the choice between an annuity and the lump sum at retirement', Journal of Pension Economics & Finance, 23(1), pp. 1–29. doi: 10.1017/S1474747222000178.
• Ramsden, A. et al. (2021) 'Devisenreserven der SNB zur Finanzierung der AHV?', Swiss Yearbook of Administrative Sciences, 12(1), pp. 31–44. doi: 10.5334/ssas.155.
• Fuchs, S. et al. (2020) 'Öffentliche Planungs- und Steuerungssysteme für das 21. Jahrhundert', Swiss Yearbook of Administrative Sciences, 11(1), pp. 171–183. doi: 10.5334/ssas.146.

Books, peer-reviewed

Ramsden, A. et al. (2025) Was wäre, wenn…? Sechs Drachenkönig-Szenarien für die öffentliche Finanzen der Zukunft. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-35282.

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

• Fuchs, S. et al. (2025) 'Building robust finances : how to assess and drive financial resilience at the Swiss local government level?', in EGPA PSG XII Spring Workshop, Coimbra, Portugal, 8-9 May 2025.
• Ramsden, A. (2021) 'How major crises affect individual behavior : evidence from retirement cash-out choices during the Great Recession in Switzerland', in 21st EURAM Annual Conference, Montréal, Canada (online), 16-18 June 2021.

Other publications

• Pleger, L., Ramsden, A. and Hasler, S. (2025) Ergebnisbericht: Befragung von Einwohner:innen der Gemeinde Eglisau. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-36029.
• Ramsden, A. and Schwarz, M. (2025) Schlussbericht : Evaluation des neuen Finanzierungsmodells FIZ Opferschutz Menschenhandel. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.
• Qibthiyyah, R. M. et al. (2025) 'Mobilizing local government revenues and 2024 local tax performance', Tax and Fiscal Policy Research. Available at: https://terc.lpem.org/en/mobilizing-local-government-revenues-and-2024-local-taxes-performance/.
• Pleger, L., Ramsden, A. and Schwarz, M. (2024) Ergebnisbericht : Befragung von Einwohnerinnen und Einwohnern der Gemeinde Salenstein 2024. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-35607.
• Fuchs, S. et al. (2024) Das Resilienz-Playbook : Finanzstrategien für Städte und Gemeinden in unsicheren Zeiten. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-31864.
• Ramsden, A. and Pleger, L. E. (2024) Bericht Befragung Sozialberater*innen und Sozialarbeiter*innen im Kanton Zürich im Auftrag der Asylorganisation Zürich (AOZ). Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.
• Ramsden, A. and Grafl, A. (2021) The interplay of climate change and public financial management : greening public procurement. The Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA). Available at: https://www.pefa.org/resources/interplay-climate-change-and-public-financial-management-greening-public-procurement.

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Hye Choi, E., Pleger, L. E. and Ramsden, A. (2026) 'Between donors, assessors, and recipients : stakeholder influence in PFM reform assessments', in Conference on Policy Process Research, Bern, Switzerland, 20-23 January 2026.
• Grafl, A. I. and Ramsden, A. (2023) 'Green public procurement : interplay of PFM systems with climate change', in PEFA Webinar Green Public Procurement, online, 21 February 2023.

Publications before appointment at the ZHAW

Ramsden, Alma (2016): Essays in Public Policy. Dissertation of the University of St. Gallen, School of Management, Economics, Law, Social Sciences and International Affairs to obtain the title of Doctor of Philosophy in Economics and Finance.

Other publications

• Coombes, Andrea; Kistler, Deborah; Ponta, Oriana; Ramsden, Alma; Rom, Adina (2021): Scoping Study of the model “Improving Quality of Teaching and Learning for Vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian Refugee Children”. Under the auspices of the project “Strengthening Capacities and Quality of the Lebanese Education Sector”.
• Müller, Franziska; Ramsden, Alma (2018): Was bewirkt die Elternzeit? Soziale Sicherheit CHSS 3/2018.
• Buess, M.; Ramsden, A.; Bieri, O. (2019): Nationale E-Government-Studie 2019. Demo SCOPE AG / Interface Politikstudien Forschung Beratung GmbH, Adligenswil / Luzern. Interface Politikstudien Forschung Beratung, Luzern
• Stern, Susanne, Gschwend, Eva, Iten, Rolf, Bütler, Monika, Ramsden, Alma (2016): Whitepaper zu den Kosten und Nutzen einer Politik der frühen Kindheit. INFRAS und SEW-HSG Universität St. Gallen
• Ramsden, Alma (2014): Betreuungsgutscheine in den Gemeinden Luzern, Emmen und Kriens. Eine ökonomische Analyse der Nutzen für Haushalte und Gemeinden im Rahmen der Vereinbarkeit von Beruf und Familie. Arbeitspapier.
• Gerritzen, Berit C., Isabel Z. Martínez, and Alma Ramsden (2014): Cantonal Differences in Health Care Premium Subsidies in Switzerland. Discussion Paper no. 2014-20, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science 2014.
• Ramsden, Alma (2016): Labor Market Effects of Childcare Vouchers: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment. University of St. Gallen Working Paper.

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