News

With sanctions set to be lifted, and Iran slowly opening up to the international community, we travelled to Tehran for a workshop on the ‘Design and Evaluation of Innovation Policies’ (DEIP), from 18-22 October 2015. We spoke to three lecturers about their research and training experiences in the Is...

“The one thing all children have in common is their rights. Every child has the right to survive and thrive, to be educated, to be free from violence and abuse, to participate and to be heard.” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for Universal Children’s Day, 20 November. Alan Kurdi w...

A third of all humanity — around 2.4 billion people — have no access to adequate sanitation. Worldwide a billion people still defecate in the open. Poor sanitation increases the risk of disease and malnutrition, especially for women and children. Meanwhile, women and girls risk rape and ...

Global Entrepreneurship Week kicks off today, with contributions from more than 160 countries and countless organisations. This year’s event takes place amid a worldwide ‘refugee crisis’, prompting discussions at all levels. It is therefore the perfect time to look at what refugees...

The North–South divide in research and innovation is narrowing, says the latest UNESCO Science Report. UNU-MERIT founder Luc Soete presented the executive summary at the launch event at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The full report is embedded below. The report includes several contributions by UNU-...

Greece was yesterday’s news. Today it’s still the refugee crisis. But tomorrow Greece may again make the headlines as the Tsipras Government pushes 200 major legislative changes through parliament — changes that will have far-reaching impacts on Greek society, writes PhD fellow Jasmina H...

Tomorrow marks the 15th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), adopted 31 October 2000. For the first time it recognised the unique impact of wars on women, and their role in peacekeeping and peacebuilding. Yet a renewed focus on ‘hard security’ now th...

Judit Vall Castello was one of the first PhD fellows at the School of Governance: she joined our Marie Curie European Social Protection PhD programme in 2006, before graduating in 2010 with a dissertation on ‘Business Cycle and Policy Effects on Labour Market Transitions of Older and Disabled ...

UN Day, 24 October, marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945. Seventy years on we take a critical look at the internal and external challenges of the ‘UN family’ – with a particular focus on coordination and leadership. Reforming the UN System – Diego Salama Eight year...

The war in Syria has forced tens of thousands to flee their homeland, many across the Turkish border. In turn, the EU and Turkey are holding urgent talks to channel these flows. Meanwhile migration looms large on the international agenda, in particular for the UN’s new Sustainable Development Goals ...

Both the EU and China have policies to promote recycling, energy saving, and the green economy. Yet relevant knowledge and data are in short supply, not only on the economic implications but also on how policy can influence drivers like technological innovation. A new three-year project entitled ‘SI...

Sometimes our fellows make the news — either for their research or for personal prestige. After a governmental promotion, our ‘Dual Career’ GPAC² fellow Camilo Carrillo Purin was interviewed on Peruvian national TV and radio. We caught up with Camilo and asked him about his work-li...

Tunisia, 2010: The self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi leads to protests and uprisings across the Arab world. Grassroots movements overthrow dictators, both peacefully and violently, but also pave the way for an Islamist-secular divide, conflicts and civil wars, and economic and political uncertaint...

In early September 2015, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade & Development Cooperation together with the State Secretary for Security & Justice sent a letter to their House of Representatives about the European asylum system. The letter, says Dr. Katie Kuschminder, proposes a new policy bas...

Migration has been at the top of the political agenda all year. Yet the focus has too often been on curbing the flow of migrants, either with more aid or border controls. In this context, and drawing lessons from both East Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr. Katie Kuschminder was asked to pres...

Today marks 23 years of peace and democracy in Mozambique. The country has made impressive progress in economic growth, stability, regional cooperation and democratisation. While concerns remain over future development, efforts to build resilience have improved. Ayokunu Adedokun, PhD fellow, takes a...

Teachers are essential in preparing future generations: their work in educating future generations contribute directly to the development of their nations and forms children into citizens of the world. Thanks to several high-profile events, this year’s focus for the World Teacher Day is very much on...

This article is part of UNU’s “17 Days, 17 Goals” series, featuring research and commentary in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, 25-27 September 2015 in New York City. Goal #10: Reduce inequality within and among countries A large share of the world’s population — those l...

In early September, Dr. Jinjing Li, a graduate of our PhD programme in 2011, returned to his alma mater. He was accompanying his wife, Jasmin Kientzel, who was here to (successfully) defend her PhD thesis. This smart couple now lives in Canberra, Australia, so it’s a rare honour to welcome the...

The ‘refugee crisis’ has only troubled faces. The war and destruction in Syria and Iraq make people put their destinies in backpacks. They leave all their belongings behind and hope for a new future in a faraway country mostly only known from the illusions created by TV and movies. Imagine what woul...