Peacebuilding is an arduous challenge — one that demands creative and comprehensive solutions. ‘Solutions’ that are all too often built on sand. ‘Solutions’ that are only really sustainable when built inclusively, from the ground up, with various actors. In April 2019, UNU-MERIT joined three sister institutes to lead a training event aimed at future policymakers, focusing on how best to tackle the challenges of long-term peacebuilding — all in support of SDG16...

One of the most pressing and cross-cutting issues on the international agenda today is global migration – an issue only made more challenging by climate change and armed conflict. Against this backdrop, UNU-MERIT joined a global event designed to train future policymakers how best to tackle the challenge of refugee crises in support of SDG16 — for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. UNU-MERIT continued its partnership with the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administr...

Over the course of the year, we rolled out the SMART Choices and SMART Tools education project — which is finally available now via the Blackboard Open Education portal. SMART Choices is a collection of six online courses based on our MPP academic tracks: a set of courses designed to help students decide which track they should follow. Meanwhile, SMART Tools presents a range of eight online toolkits designed to help students join the labour market. By making these online courses available ...

Thirty staff and students from UNU-MERIT spent five days of the carnival break exploring Geneva; learning about the institutions based there and networking with staff and alumni. The trip itself was an impressive feat of organisation, involving 10 committee members from our Master of Science in Public Policy and Human Development (MPP), chaired by DEMOS Vice President Antoine Lemonnier, as well as various UNU staff, and dozens of contacts at the international organisations and centres we visited...

Our Master in Public Policy and Human Development (MPP) offers six highly-specialised tracks. Deciding which one to follow is one of the most important decisions our students will make during their time at UNU-MERIT. In order to support them in this process, our instructors have developed a digital platform that provides additional information to current and prospective students. Each year students from across the world move to Maastricht for our award-winning Master’s programme. They come...

Students on our Master of Science (MPP) programme were asked to write a critical opinion on the protection of human rights and development. Focusing on the means and measures available to international actors — from political mediation, to the International Criminal Court (ICC), to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) — they explained how their choice fosters human rights and development. Below is a selection of essays, focusing on a range of case studies and critical issues arou...

Maastricht University (UM) celebrated the opening of the academic year on Monday 4 September 2017 by asking the question: ‘Can academics change the world?’ During the morning symposium, focusing on the action research approach in academic disciplines, six (all female) students (three Master’s and three PhD fellows) pitched their ideas for a project involving academic entrepreneurship. In the Master’s category, the award went to Nrupaja Bhide, who just graduated from UNU-MERIT’s Master̵...

The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has selected the project ‘Leading to Success: SMART Choices and SMART Tools’, submitted by project leader Dr. Mindel van de Laar, for funding in a competitive selection process to encourage open and online education. We obtained the SURF subsidy to support the development of two open online services. These packages will be piloted with our Master in Public Policy and Human Development (MPP) students, and then be offered continuously to MPP stu...

Hunger and food security are two of the most pressing issues for the UN – issues only made harder by climate change and armed conflict. Against this backdrop, UNU-MERIT joined a global challenge: to draft and debate a plan in support of SDG#2 — and end hunger. Higher education is changing: traditional lectures and teaching remain important, but they are increasingly complemented with state-of-the-art technology. The study of public policy is no exception. Future policymakers have to be tau...

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 ...