My research was about a set of public policies to support the semiconductor industry in Brazil. These policies started to be designed in the early 2000s, when it was identified that developing a semiconductor industry in the country would foster innovation in the electronics industry. The latter was already present in the country, but it focused on assembling goods and relied on imported components to do so. Thus, several complementary policies were put in place over the years, including a state...

I found out about the UNU-MERIT PhD programme through an online scholarship subscription. Initially, I was a bit surprised that governance and economics could be combined to form a single PhD programme – but then I saw how the two tracks work side-by-side in a complementary way....

As a co-author, the main point to stress is the large innovation divide between low- and high-income countries. Within Africa there are very large disparities – countries across the continent are very different – but there are some similarities. For example, there are still many challenges on the innovation input side, so that means institutions and infrastructure. However, a lot of efforts have been made in terms of R&D and research; there are increasing levels of R&D investments in many countr...

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...

A PhD can be a game-changer for your career, especially at a research institute or international organisation. But not for everyone. Paul Caldron, one of our recent GPAC2 graduates, is a medical doctor approaching the end of his career – and in many ways he valued personal over professional development. … Paul, why exactly did you join our part-time PhD programme? As you would expect, my answer will be non-traditional. When my kids had all left home, and my practice efficiency had improved to th...

By Dr. Özge Bilgili and Veronika Fajth In today’s world, international migration not only affects those who are on the move but the vast majority of the global population. In this new era of hyper-connectedness, many of our actions have transnational ramifications, reaching many other people across the world. But the question is: how exactly should we define transnational? For some, engaging in activities that cross borders is a central part of their lives. These individuals’ lives cannot be und...

Hans-Erik Edsand from Sweden has won the Best PhD Student Paper Award at the 2016 ‘Globelics’ Conference in Indonesia, for his work on ‘Technological Innovation Systems and the Wider Context: A Framework for Developing Countries’. “The Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework is a systems approach for understanding the adoption and impact of technologies,” explains Edsand. This approach was taken because it is “important to find a balance between ...

On 1 March 2015, 15 mid-career professionals started the GPAC2 programme to obtain a PhD in Governance and Policy Analysis. This year’s group is made up of eight women and seven men, representing all continents: four European, two Asian, two African, three North American, three South American and one Australian. During the first week, the requirements of a PhD were explained, and the fellows participated in an intensive PhD research methodology class. The foundations for academic research ...