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Autumn Newsletter - Welcome to our fourth and final quarterly newsletter of 2021, where we round up the latest news and views on all our research, training and education programmes. - With our strategy process complete, we're now moving towards a new brand positioning based around 'Comprehensive Innovation for Sustainable Development' (CI4SD). Expect to hear more about that very soon! |
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Upcoming Events - We’re now co-leading the second round of the Chris Freeman Centenary Lecture Series, in honour of the founding father of innovation studies. Each of the next six lectures, starting 22 October 2021, will feature two empirical papers chosen by an expert panel from Globelics, the Global Research Network. UNU-MERIT’s Nanditha Mathew is one of the lead organisers. Join the seminars here >>> - We’ll be co-running the 12th Conference on 'Model-based Evidence on Innovation and Development' (MEIDE) from 29 November 2021 to 1 December 2021, with partners at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Formal and Inclusive Economy Alliance. The scientific committee includes UNU-MERIT’s Fabiana Visentin, Micheline Goedhuys and Pierre Mohnen, as well as PhD alumni Alison Cathles and Fernando Vargas, who now work for the IDB, and Simone Sasso, who is now with the European Commission's Joint Research Centre. Find out more here >>> |
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Latest News - PhD candidate Mariajose Silva Vargas has been named a Robert S. McNamara Fellow at the World Bank, where she will be hosted for 2021-22 in the Infrastructure and Climate Change unit, part of the Development Impact Evaluation department, in Washington DC, USA. Mariajose has a background in running field experiments across the Global South, including projects on land markets and the socio-economic integration of refugees in Uganda. Read more here >>> - Director Bartel Van de Walle met with Queen Mathilde of the Belgians on 23 September 2021, when she paid an in-person visit to the UN House in Brussels. During the meeting, the queen discussed various UN priorities, including the roll out of the Sustainable Development Goals. Her Majesty was recently reconfirmed as an SDG Advocate, a role she has held since 2016, and for which she focuses in particular on mental health. Find out more here >>> - And a warm welcome to our new Student Ambassador, Leopoldo Perez Obregon! Follow Leopoldo on his journey through our Master's of Public Policy and Human Development in the 2021-2022 academic year, both on Facebook >>> and Instagram >>> |
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Recent Publications - A new report confirms the continued progress of EU Open Science. Researcher Ad Notten, one of the report authors, said: “UNU-MERIT has been a proponent of Open Access publishing for more than 15 years, leading several large OA-focused studies, including one on Creative Commons and another funded by the Wikimedia foundation. The reasoning behind this policy is that UNU-MERIT believes that research results paid for through public funding should likewise be freely accessible to the general public and (re-)usable for the wider scientific community." Read more here >>> - A new Open Access Handbook on Social Protection Systems features contributions from UNU-MERIT researchers Franziska Gassmann, Tamara Kool and Zina Nimeh, as well as alumni Mira Bierbaum, Victor Cebotari and Eszter Timar. This Handbook provides a comprehensive and globally relevant overview of the instruments, actors and design features of social protection systems, as well as their application and impacts in practice. It is the first book that centres around system building globally, a theme that has gained political importance yet has received relatively little attention in academia. Find out more here >>> - How do we measure national progress towards carbon neutrality, holistic sustainable development, and building a green, innovative and competitive economy? A new policy brief outlines the performance and ranking of all EU Member States. How can governments and other stakeholders put together a systems approach for social protection policies? A new book chapter considers the importance of various fields including taxation, humanitarian aid and livelihood approaches. Read all our September publications >>> including three book chapters, two reports and two working papers. - What particular challenges does the EU face in transitioning to a low-carbon electricity system? What are the likely scientific and social impacts? A new PhD thesis considers the main hurdles for the EU in its shift from intensive use of fossil fuels to a low-carbon power system. What are the causes and drivers of inequality across Botswana? A new report for UNDP reveals the structure and drivers of inequality including the role of tertiary education and the links between land ownership, demographics and inequality. See all our publications from July & August >>> including five working papers, four journal articles and two research reports. |
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Alumni Activities PhD alumnus and affiliated researcher Ayo Adedokun was awarded the Leiden University Student platform (LUS) teaching prize, for best lecturer of the year, on 6 September 2021. “Teaching is not merely a profession; it’s a calling,” said Adedokun, who was clearly moved upon receiving the award from the LUS Chair. The prize itself covers 25,000 euros to spend on innovation in teaching and learning, and membership of the University’s Teachers’ Academy. Read more here >>> - Have you always wanted to know where your old classmates ended up? Are you interested in alumni events in your region? And do you want to stay in touch with your Alma Mater? Sign up for the Maastricht University Alumni Portal >>> |
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Multimedia - Until next time, in the new year, please check our social media accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. You can also stay up-to-date on all our major publications via our monthly ‘First Impressions’ roundup. - Finally, a word from our friends at the United Nations Student Association Maastricht (UNSA), who are looking for new members! UNSA is an academic, non-profit student association that is looking to bring the UN spirit to Maastricht and its students by serving as a platform for internationally-orientated students. They do this by providing workshops, panel debates, lectures, career days, development-aid projects, our own magazine and our own Model United Nations Conference. Interested? Find more information on their website here >>> or follow them on instagram @unsa.maastricht |
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