News

How does foreign direct investment shape high-tech industries in developing countries like Pakistan? What are the pros and cons of diaspora engagement in fragile countries of origin such as Iraq? How does parental absence impact the educational performance of children in West Africa? Just three of t...

After the Paris massacre, is the warmongering of certain European leaders justified? Is it right to seek revenge or will this fan the flames of radicalism? The reality is that many young Muslims have already turned their backs on Western values and are now actively terrorising that lifestyle —...

In honour of International Migrants Day on 18 December, the UNU Migration Network has released the following very compelling statement highlighting some of the most important migration concerns that must be addressed by future policies. The events of 2015 have brought unprecedented media and politic...

Prof. Shyama V. Ramani of UNU-MERIT has been working to make a small Indian village called Kameshwaram, devastated by the 2004 Tsunami, as clean as any in the world – and to document the process so that it can be replicated elsewhere. She is still grappling with the core problems of sanitation, wast...

‘No human being is illegal‘ headlined a recent article in the Guardian, stressing how “the phrase ‘illegal immigrants’ is neither ‘accurate nor neutral’.” Heard time and again in the US presidential campaign, it’s yet another example of a dubious...

Corruption occurs in rich and poor countries alike — and is therefore a global concern. Yet evidence shows that it affects poor people disproportionately and helps turn fragile states into failed states. Ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day, marked every 9 December, I want to highlight t...

This article is part of UNU’s COP21 series featuring commentary related to the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21), 30 November–11 December 2015 in Paris. ••• Millions of people worldwide are at risk for displacement resu...

Civil wars disrupt many aspects of life and development, including the education of the next generation. Yet until now there has been very little research into the subject. We spoke with Dr. Silvia Consuelo Gómez Soler after her record-breaking defence on this topical issue — which is relevant...

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...