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| Latest news |
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UNU-MERIT Launches M.Phil Study Programme
Posted: 2008-04-04
UNU-MERIT has announced a new graduate fellowship programme in Economics, Innovation and Technology aimed at attracting outstanding economics students from both developing and developed countries with a keen interest in development issues. Funded by UNU-MERIT, the fellowships will support students enrolled in the METEOR MPhil programme in the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Maastricht University. The course will lay the groundwork for a full PhD degree, or provide the training necessary for a career in policy-making in development and innovation.
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X-Prize President at UNU-MERIT panel discussion
Posted: 2008-04-14
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| Top: Tom Vander Ark (left) and A.E.O Ogwell (Ministry of Health, Kenya) at the panel.
Bottom: James Love |
On the same day that his organization announced the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE at the New York International Auto Show - a $ 10 million international competition to stimulate research and development of new generation, super fuel-efficient vehicles - X-Prize Foundation President Tom Vander Ark found time to share some experiences in managing prize funds at the UNU-MERIT Panel: “Prize or Patent? Innovative Ideas for Funding Medical Drug Development and Access.” Co-organized with the UNU Office at the United Nations, New York on March 20 the event attracted 70 participants drawn from diplomatic missions, R&D companies, international organizations and academic institutions. James Love (pictured right), Director of Knowledge Ecology International (KEI), provided an overview of "Prizes as an alternative mechanism to stimulate private investments in R&D," and the Status of the Proposed $ 80 billion US Medical Innovation Prize Fund (Sanders Bill 2007).
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| Research & policy analysis |
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Nanotechnology project launched
Posted: 2008-04-11
A UNU-MERIT team has started work on the ObservatoryNano project, a four-year project funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme. Starting formally from April 1, 2008, the project involves 16 research institutions and business organizations across Europe. UNU-MERIT’s role includes developing a bibliometric database of scientific publications in nanoscience and nanotechnologies and linking this to funding data to study the productivity of research funding in Europe. The project will also map the dynamics and future trend of the worldwide nanotechnology R&D. The team comprises Ad Notten, Nico Rasters, Luc Soete, Li Zhi and Can Huang.
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7th Dutch Science and Technology Indicators Report Published
Posted: 2008-04-14
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| 7th Dutch Science and Technology Indicators Report |
The 7th edition of the S&T Indicators report of the Netherlands Observatory of Science and Technology (NOWT) was published on 13 March. NOWT is a formal cooperation between the Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) and UNU-MERIT, and is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. A key conclusion is that while the Netherlands has a comparatively high productivity level based on modest levels of R&D investment - which makes the R&D system a relatively efficient one – its investments in R&D and innovation are not keeping up with rapid growth rates in several other advanced nations. It is therefore an open question whether the country will be able to sustain the current level of performance, especially with projected shortages in human resources. The report (in Dutch) is available for download on the NOWT website. An English summary will be available soon on the site.
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Research team strengthened
Posted: 2008-04-04
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Théophile T. Azomahou
Posted: 2008-04-08
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| Théophile T. Azomahou |
Théophile T. Azomahou (Benin) joined UNU-MERIT on 1 April as Senior Researcher. He will be contributing to research focusing on growth and development (through his work on energy-saving technological progress, environmentally sustainable growth, human capital and health, regional convergence), and econometrics (drawing on his expertise in spatial econometrics and applied nonparametric methods). Before joining UNU-MERIT Dr. Azomahou was Assistant Professor and Co-Director of the Master courses in Statistics and Econometrics at the University (Louis Pasteur) of Strasbourg.
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Li Zhi
Posted: 2008-04-04
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| Li Zhi |
Li Zhi, a visiting researcher at the Centre for Applied Statistics, Renmin University of China, also joined UNU-MERIT in April. He will be working on the ObservatoryNano project led by Can Huang and Luc Soete.
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| Training & capacity development |
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PhD Defence Sabine Fuss
Posted: 2008-04-10
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| Sabine Fuss |
Sabine Fuss will defend her PhD thesis: "Sustainable Energy Development Under Uncertainty" on Thursday 24th April at Maastricht University. With electricity generation accounting for 40% of CO2 emissions, and considering that many OECD countries have to replace substantial portions of their electricity-generating capacity over the next 10-20 years, investment decisions today will determine the CO2-intensity of the future energy mix. The thesis develops several investment models focusing on real options theory and a portfolio approach combined with vintage modeling to understand how investment decisions are made in the electricity sector and derives some recommendations for policy-makers.
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| Face of the month |
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Rossitza Rousseva
Posted: 2008-04-04
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| Rossitza Rousseva |
Rossitza Rousseva joined UNU MERIT in 2007 on a two-year Individual Marie Curie Fellowship to undertake a research project on technological learning and capability accumulation in the software industry in Bulgaria. Her research specialization is in the development of software industries in latecomer countries with a special focus on capability building as part of which she has developed a framework for analysing capability accumulation in latecomer software companies. Prior to joining UNU-MERIT Dr. Rousseva was based at several leading institutes in the field of technological development in the UK, France and Germany.
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| Events & networking |
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Strategic Alliances Workshop
Posted: 2008-04-04
UNU-MERIT's Research Group on Innovation, global business strategies and host country development, hosted an international workshop on Strategic Alliances and Culture on Friday 4th April, in collaboration with the Open University of The Netherlands (OUNL). The discussions will feed into a forthcoming UNU-MERIT book on this topic. |
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Model United Nations convenes in Maastricht this April
Posted: 2008-04-08
The Maastricht University UN Students Association is hosting the 2008 European Model United Nations (EUROMUN) taking place from 17-20 April. More than 400 delegates from 35 countries have registered to attend the event. Eight UNU-MERIT PhD researchers are participating in the event as "technical advisers" to specific UN Committees.
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