Isabel Sanz Villarroya is Ph. D. in Economics, (University of Alcalá de Henares, Madrid) and M.A. in Economics of Education and Labor, (Carlos III de Madrid University). From 1999 to nowadays she is a permanent teacher at the University of Zaragoza but from 1992 to 1998 was teaching at the University Carlos III de Madrid. She was a research student at the London School of Economics (1998-1999) and Senior Associate Member at the Oxford University (2003-2004). Her main research fiels of interest are Growth and Convergence, Standard of Living and Institutions. She has published at relevant reviews as Explorations in Economic History and the Journal of Latin American Studies.