This article is republished from Development Matters. Read the original article here. A joint post By Michele Delera, Prof Carlo Pietrobelli, UNU-MERIT , and Elisa Calza and Dr Alejandro Lavopa, UNIDO[1] There are many controversies among economists but one fact is undisputed: long-run productivity growth depends on the absorption and deployment of new technologies. Some estimates indicate that differences in technology diffusion account for a quarter of cross-country differences in per capita i...

After struggling for 39 years to develop a fertile ground for democratic governance, Nigeria had its turning point in May 1999 when it became the world’s fourth largest democracy. This came after 16 years of brutal military rule. Despite complaints of fraud by political opposition in each election held since 1999, local and international election observers have regarded each of Nigeria’s general elections as relatively free and fair. On the economic front, Nigeria is now the largest economy in A...

It is with great sadness that we bring the news that our good friend and colleague Eddy (Adam) Szirmai passed away early last Saturday, 11 January 2020. Eddy was recovering from extensive surgery that he underwent more than a year ago, and although the treatment was generally considered successful, severe complications arose at the end of last year. Eddy was a true intellectual, born in an immigrant family with strong intellectual roots. During the 1960s and 1970s, he studied economics, history,...

There is very little evidence that development aid and interventions affect migration decisions. The evidence we do have is mixed and often shows the opposite of the intended consequence. What does this mean for policymakers?...

In light of the World Humanitarian Day last Sunday, August 19, this post argues for the need to revisit humanitarian aid and place it alongside social protection. Recognising that over 140 million people relied on humanitarian aid across 37 countries in 2017, there is an urgent need to take up the discussion and look towards the delivery mechanisms of social protection that allow for more long-term development....

Introducing more skilled employees into the economy is an important path to development for many middle income countries. That’s why increased and improved training at the top end of the education level – PhDs – is considered so vital. Many countries encourage students to pursue their PhDs abroad in nations with well-ranked universities, particularly in Europe and North America, on the presumption that what’s offered in the developed world is better quality. They know that some of those students...

Researcher Elaine McGregor recently authored the second edition of the ‘MOVEMENT Report: A Global Civil Society Report on Progress and Impact for Migrants’ Rights and Development. She also wrote the first edition. Diego Salama caught up with her to find out more. The full report is embedded below or available here. What did the first edition focus on? At the global policy level there is an annual meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) which rotates, every year, fro...

On 14 December 2016, UNU HQ in Tokyo hosted ‘Paradoxes in Higher Education‘, a conversation with Professor Luc Soete, Chairman of the EU Research, Innovation, and Science Policy Experts High Level Group and former Director of UNU-MERIT. Investments in education are essential for the sustainable growth and development of a country. But are governments making the right decisions regarding their educational investments? One of the paradoxes of higher education is that in developed count...

The inaugural Public Policy in-house conference, 21 October 2016, was an opportunity for four members of the 2016/2017 MPP cohort to present their analyses of key policy issues from their home countries. The presenters were selected based not only on quality but also on diversity, region, and topic providing a unique learning opportunity for presenter and audience alike. By Kevin Gomis, MPP 2016-2017 Just like the cohort, the day’s presentations were highly diverse – ranging greatly ...

This is the sixth post in our series ahead of the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants, 19 September 2016. The full series covers several key aspects of migration: from governance and health, to environment and culture, to development and forced migration. A round-up post will follow shortly after the summit. Read the first six posts here on the UNU Migration Network. ••• It’s time that we get serious about development — and really ‘put our money where our mouth is’. For far too long ...