Source: IUFE

March 8, 2010
'Die Neue Grüne Revolution in Afrika:
Wunderwaffe oder Goldener Schuss?'

This event will be held in German.

Welcome & Introduction:
Austrian MP Bgm. Franz Glaser (IUFE)
Panel:
Dr. Petra C. Gruber (IUFE), Dr. Uwe Hoering, Dr. Michael Hauser (CDR - Boku)

Excerpt from the invitation:
'Im Rahmen der Dialogrunde wird hinterfragt, ob durch Gentechnik und Weltagrarhandel Hunger und Armut aus der Welt geschaffen werden können. Oder werden im Zuge des Agrar-Kolonialismus neue Abhängigkeitsverhältnisse geschaffen bzw. vertieft und die ökologischen Zerstörungen weiter vorangetrieben? Welche Alternativen gibt es und welche Rolle spielt diesbezüglich Österreich als Mitglied der internationalen Entwicklungsggemeinschaft?'

Date: April 14, 2010, 6:30pm
Venue: Julius-Raab Stiftung, Tivoligasse 73, A-1120 Vienna
Download: Invitation & registration details 242.87 kb

Source: CDR

December 29, 2009
"Crossing Boundaries"
How does research contribute to learning processes?

Programme:
6:00pm Welcome & Introduction, Prof. Christian Vogl (Boku)
6:10pm Presentation, Dr. Stephan Rist (University of Berne)
6:50pm Panel discussion
7: 30pm Closure, Prof. Christian Vogl

Abstract of the presentation "From transfer to co-production of knowledge - enhancement of social learning processes through transdisciplinary research":
"Mainstream approaches for relating science and sustainable management of natural resources are widely based on the idea that scientific research produces solutions that should be transferred to policy makers, business sector or farmer, whose main task is conceived of in taking over and spreading out the solutions created by sciences. There are many examples of the such 'diffusion of innovations' developed in agricultural research stations, which were than disseminated through a combined effort of policy makers and extension services to farmers and other resource users. However, there is growing evidence that mainly in the field of sustainable resource management this approach must be broadened. Due to the complexity, uncertainty and controversy related to scientific knowledge, e.g. about organic agriculture, transgenic crops, indigenous farming systems, science, rather than being the solution, is just one among other ingredients, which has to be brought into interaction with other forms of knowledge in order to start co-producing knowledge for more sustainable use of natural resources. Co-production of knowledge turns into a social learning process that involves the different forms of knowledge hold by researchers, farmers, extensionsts and policy makers. The potentials, limitations and conditions for a successful co-production of knowledge for more sustainable management of natural resources and how it can be enhanced by the application of transdisciplinary research will be shown on the basis of case studies referring to the development of organic agriculture in Switzerland and a new approach emphasising on the revitalization of indigenous farming systems in the Bolivian Andes."

Date: January 21, 2010, 6:00pm
Venue: University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna
Download: Invitation 99.04 kb
Website: http://www.boku.ac.at/cdr.html

Source: IFPRI

November 30, 2009
Millions fed
Proven successes in agricultural development

This publication is available for free download. It is published by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and edited by David J. Spielman and Rajul Pandya-Lorch.
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks sustainable solutions for ending hunger and poverty. IFPRI is one of 15 centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an alliance of 64 governments, private foundations, and international and regional organizations.

Excerpt from the website:
"Humanity has made enormous progress in the past 50 years toward eliminating hunger and malnutrition. Some five billion people--more than 80 percent of the world's population--have enough food to live healthy, productive lives. Agricultural development has contributed significantly to these gains, while also fostering economic growth and poverty reduction in some of the world's poorest countries.
This book examines how policies, programs, and investments in pro-poor agricultural development have helped to substantially reduce hunger across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The 20 success stories presented here provide both lessons and inspiration for continued efforts to eradicate hunger and malnutrition among the one billion people still facing this scourge."

Download: http://www.ifpri.org

Source: ERA-ARD

November 23, 2009
International Conference:
“Dialogue between Europe and its Southern partners on agricultural research and climate change”

Excerpt from the conference website:
"This conference aims at facilitating the identification and initiating coordination of European agricultural research programmes for mitigation and adaptation actions to climate change for mutual benefit of Europe and its Southern partners. It is why it has been registred as a major contribution to the COP15, the United Nations Climate Change Conference."



Venue: Brussels, Belgium
Date: December 16-17, 2009
Details and programme: http://conference.era-ard.org
Website: http://www.era-ard.org

Source: KFPE

November 23, 2009
Cooperating for Success
Benefits of Research Partnerships with Developing Countries

This documentation summarises successful projects of scientific partnerships in different research domains and countries, and shows how the results of that work have been translated into practice and how they help to shape policy.

The swiss Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE) is dedicated to promoting research partnerships with developing and transition countries. In this way, it wishes to contribute to sustainable and effective development and help find solutions to global problems.

KFPE (2009) Cooperating for success: Benefits of research partnerships with developing countries, Bern, Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT).

Download: Cooperating for Success 863.43 kb (English)
Website: http://www.kfpe.ch

Source: DIIS

November 19, 2009
The Future of European Development Cooperation: Seeking Global Solutions or Retracing a Niche by 2020?

A DIIS Working Paper by Sven Grimm and Erik Lundsgaarde.
The Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) is an independent research institution engaged in research in international affairs.

Excerpt from the website:
"How EU policy for global development will look in the future depends on how the organisation manages two key challenges: The changing political dynamics within an enlarged EU with a diverse set of preferences – and the evolving external environment characterized by emphasis on global public goods and by the multiplication of global development players. These challenges put pressure on the existing European development consensus, but also offer an impetus for strengthened coordination, argue Sven Grimm and Erik Lundsgaarde."

Download: DIIS Working Paper 2009:20 462 kb
Website: http://www.diis.dk

Source: GDN

November 5, 2009
GDN: 11th Annual Global Development Conference
Regional and Global Integration: Quo Vadis?

GDN (Global Development Network) is a global network of research and policy institutes that work on facilitating and applying research to policy development and practice.
GDN partners with various international donor organizations and governments, and is a worldwide network of research institutes, academic institutions, think tanks and more than 8,000 individual researchers worldwide.
Excerpt:
"The Global Development Conference in Prague will focus on globalization and regional integration in the context of the recent economic crisis. While the economic and political consequences of the crisis will undoubtedly cast a deep shadow on the economies of developing countries, it is also likely to hasten the structural shift in global economic power from the Western countries to the emerging economies.
GDN’s Annual Conferences attract a diverse audience – researchers, policy-makers, representatives of international organizations, development practitioners, among others."

Venue: Prague, Czech Republic
Date: January 16-18, 2010
Details and programme: http://www.gdnet.org

Source: IDEA

November 5, 2009
Call for abstracts / papers: Democratic Accountability in Development

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) supports sustainable democratic change through providing comparative knowledge and assisting in democratic reform and influencing politics and policies.
Based in Stockholm, Sweden, it has offices in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Excerpt:
"This call for papers is part of International IDEA’s efforts to stimulate debate on the impact of democratic accountability arrangements on development outcomes and facilitate exchange between key democratic stakeholders in developing countries.
International IDEA will select up to 7-10 papers. Authors will receive a grant of EURO 1,500 (for each paper) and an invitation to present their work during an international workshop to take place in Mozambique in March 2010. Papers will be also considered for publication."

Deadline: December 11, 2009
Details: http://www.idea.int

Source: FFG

October 30, 2009
7th EU Framework Programme (FP7)
International Cooperation

The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) bundles all research-related EU initiatives together under a common roof playing a crucial role in reaching the goals of growth, competitiveness and employment; along with a new Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), Education and Training programmes, and Structural and Cohesion Funds for regional convergence and competitiveness. It is also a key pillar for the European Research Area (ERA).

FFG - Austrian Research Promotion Agency:
"Only within the international context, the European Research Area can remain competitive and effective in achieving these objectives. The international scientific cooperation policy of the EU will stress and develop cooperation to generate, share and use knowledge through equitable research partnerships between the EU and third countries at bilateral, regional and global levels. On the basis of multilateral and bi-regional dialogues and through relevant bilateral cooperation agreements between the EU and these countries, specific needs and priority topics will be identified."

The overview below lists calls for projects with the explicit possibility for third country participation.

Download 1: Overview MS EXCEL Document 164.5 kb
Download 2: Catalogue of FP7 projects 2007–2009 1.68 mb
Websites: http://rp7.ffg.at and http://cordis.europa.eu

Source: KFPE

September 22, 2009
From Research to Development - Mutual Learning for Change
The Annual Conference of the KFPE in collaboration with NewMinE of the University of Lugano

The Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE) is dedicated to promoting research partnerships with developing and transition countries. In this way, it wishes to contribute to sustainable and effective development and help find solutions to global problems.

KFPE is engaged in Swiss scientific policies and is committed to promoting the interests of researchers and their affiliated institutions on both a national and international level. It furthers innovative and development-oriented research and designs concepts for research strategies. In this context, KFPE ensures that partnership principles are followed, the quality of research is assured, and the interests of all partners are respected. KFPE is a commission of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT).

Focus of the Conference:
" Research partnerships with developing and transition countries strive to contribute to sustainable development and to improve the living conditions of the populations in these countries. Implementation of new knowledge and research results into practice or policy or up-scaling of successful research projects therefore lies at the core of such projects and remains a major challenge. "

Date: October 23, 2009
Venue: University of Lugano, Switzerland
Deadline for registration: October 19, 2009
Website: http://www.kfpe.ch/registrierung/

Source: CDR

September 22, 2009 and October 30, 2009
Seeking opportunities in times of crises
A colloquium to inaugurate the Centre for Development Research at BOKU-University, Vienna

Update:
A review (video, presentations, pictures) of the inauguration ceremony is available for download on the website of the CDR.
Review: http://www.boku.ac.at/15463.html

Excerpt from the invitation:
"The great majority of poor and food insecure people in developing countries depend on natural resources, such as land, water, plants, livestock, and fisheries. Increasing environmental degradation, climate change and economic inequalities between rich and poor are jeopardising more peoples’ ability to live secure and healthy lives. In the long run, this will result in a widening global divide, leading to unknown tensions affecting us all.

The challenge ahead is to implement effective strategies and policies that ensure access to natural resources, the right to food, human health, equal market opportunities, and well-being. BOKU and its partners are already developing practical theories that work for vulnerable users of natural resources. Through the opening of the Centre for Development Research we hope to strengthen this role. This colloquium, which marks the inauguration of the centre, asks what science can contribute to effective partnerships for overcoming local and global crises. "

Date: October 14, 2009
Venue: University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, 1190 Vienna
Download: Invitation 234.56 kb
Website: http://www.boku.ac.at/cdr.html

Source: Palgrave Macmillan

August 26, 2009
The European Journal of Development Research
Development trends: Five visions from five continents

- "The next 10 years in development studies: From modernization to multiple modernities, in theory and practice" by Michael Woolcock, Brooks World Poverty Institute, University of Manchester, England.
- "Has the wheel turned full circle?" by Neera Chandhoke, Developing Countries Research Centre, University of Delhi, India.
- "Development issues for the future: A South African perspective" by Vishnu Padayachee, School of Development Studies, Howard College, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
- "Cuidar a la gente, cuidar el mundo" by Elizabeth Jelin, CONICET–IDES, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- "La recherche pour le développement: où en sommes nous?" by Bonnie Campbell, Université du Québec à Montréal, Faculté de science politique et de droit, Canada.

Website and download: http://www.palgrave-journals.com

Source: OEFSE

August 19, 2009
OEFSE Working Paper:
Between Ambitions and Realities: The Pathway of European Development Cooperation since Maastricht

Abstract of the new OEFSE paper by Simon Hartmann:
"As soon as with the Treaty of Maastricht, the newly founded European Union formally stated a broad development cooperation approach in the supranational treaties. Since then the overall institutional framework has been continuously improved in favour of development cooperation by both, legal acts and ‘soft law’ while implementation of development policy issues mostly has lagged behind. Based on an evaluation of the changes on the institutional layer, the analysis will provide few selected evidence, that from a political view European development cooperation has failed to meet its rather high ambitions."

Download: Working Paper 572 kb
Website: http://www.oefse.at

Source: IDRC

August 19, 2009
Call for Expressions of Interest: Think Tank Initiative

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is a Crown corporation created by the Parliament of Canada in 1970 to help developing countries use science and technology to find practical, long-term solutions to the social, economic, and environmental problems they face.

Excerpt:
"The Think Tank Initiative invites applications from independent organizations in Latin America and South Asia that are committed to using research to inform and influence national-level social and economic policy, mainly in the areas of growth, equity, and poverty reduction. The Initiative will provide multi-year funding to promising think tanks, and will work with successful applicants to improve their organizational performance."

Deadline: September 28, 2009
Details: http://www.idrc.ca

Source: DFID

August 19, 2009
Support for meetings and conferences on climate change adaption
(for meeting and conference organizers)

Excerpt:
"The purpose of the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa (CCAA) research and capacity development program is to significantly improve the capacity of African countries to adapt to climate change in ways that benefit the most vulnerable."

General objective:
The general objective of this support fund is to strengthen the capacities of African stakeholders with regard to climate change adaptation.
Specific objectives:
- update African stakeholders about climatic change adaptation issues;
- ensure that African positions are considered in international decision-making;
- include African concerns in mechanisms for dealing with climate change issues;
- facilitate a framework for exchange, sharing and learning so that African stakeholders have space for discussing climate change adaptation and can develop new ideas, technologies and strategies to deal with climate change.
Applications are invited for small grants to support events taking place between November 1, 2009 and May 31, 2010.

Deadline:September 15, 2009

Source: UN

August 13, 2009
UN: The Millennium Development Goals Report 2009, MDG Progress Chart 2009

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2009 was launched in Geneva by the Secretary-General on 6 July. The report, which presents the yearly assessment of global progress towards the MDGs, is prepared by the Statistics Division of DESA on the basis of inputs provided by the members of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on MDG Indicators. Less than six years away from the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the report warns that despite many successes, overall progress has been too slow for most of the targets to be met by 2015. And major advances in the fight against poverty and hunger have begun to slow or even reverse as a result of the global economic and food crises.

Excerpt from the foreword:
"We cannot allow an unfavorable economic climate to undermine the commitments made in 2000. On the contrary, our efforts to restore economic growth should be seen as an opportunity to take some of the hard decisions needed to create a more equitable and sustainable future." Ban Ki-moon

Download: The Millennium Development Goals Report 2009 10738 kb
Download: MDG Progress Chart 2009 2044 kb
Website: http://mdgs.un.org The report is available in different languages.

July 28, 2009
IDS Working Paper No. 326: Country Classifications for a Changing World

The new IDS working paper by Dan Harris, Mick Moore and Hubert Schmitz.
Summary:
"The distinction between developing and developed countries has long been central to development studies and to debates on development policy. In earlier decades, it was in many respects accurate, and was for many purposes useful. Although the world is still very much divided between rich and poor countries, relationships among countries have changed so much that the developing– developed country distinction has become an obstacle to understanding current problems and opportunities and, even more, to thinking productively about the future. It is time to stop using it. Many alternative ways of categorising countries have been suggested. In recent years in particular, large numbers of organisations have begun annually to rank countries according to a wide variety of criteria: from economic vulnerability, bribe payers, competitiveness, digital access, ease of doing business, food insecurity, governance, and happiness to water poverty and welfare. These do not adequately capture the structural and relational changes that have occurred in our multi-polar world with substantially altered flows of ideas, resources and influence. Focusing on the needs of European policymakers, this paper suggests two axes for classifying countries. The first is the external capacity of states to influence and work with other states. This is captured in the (measureable) concept of ‘anchor countries’ developed by the German Development Institute and beginning to be put into practice in the enlargement from the G8 to the G20. The second is internal state capacity, as shaped by the sources of government income, in particular contrasting tax, aid, and oil. Using sources of public revenue as a way of classifying countries requires more work but would help to steer the development debate toward the key issue of improving the quality of governance and thus strengthening the capacity of poor countries to help themselves."
Download: http://www.research4development.info

Image: ECDPM

July 28, 2009
ECDPM - European Centre for Development Policy Management

ECDPM is an independent foundation, legally constituted in the Netherlands, and began operations in 1986. Its focus is to help build an effective partnership between the European Union and Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP), particularly related to development cooperation. ECDPM engages in facilitating policy dialogue, creating understanding of processes and institutions and building capacity.

Download: http://www.ecdpm.org

Image: EADI

July 27, 2009
EADI - European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes

Since recently the EADI annual report 2008 is available for download.
EADI is the leading professional network for development and regional studies in Europe and its membership includes a wide range of development research and training organisations, think tanks, national bodies and researchers throughout Europe. KEF is also a member of the EADI network.

Download: http://www.eadi.org

June 25, 2009
and : OECD/DAC Peer Review of „Austrian Development Cooperation“ - presentation and discussion

Excerpt from the report:
"The DAC conducts periodic reviews of the individual development co-operation efforts of DAC members. Each member is critically examined approximately once every four or five years, with five members examined annually. The OECD’s Development Co-operation Directorate provides analytical support and is responsible for developing and maintaining the conceptual framework within which the Peer Reviews are undertaken."

Date: July 6, 2009, 3pm - 5:30pm
Venue: OeKB, Reitersaal, Strauchgasse 3, A-1010 Vienna
Download: Invitation, schedule, panel 254.51 kb
Website: http://www.oefse.at/veranstaltungen.htm

Download: OECD report 1876 kb

Image: scidev.net

June 16, 2009
Science for development in Rwanda

In an article on Scidev.Net Professor Romain Murenzi, Rwanda's science and technology minister, argues that improving Rwanda's science, technology and innovation capacity is essential to meet the country's development goals.

Details, article: http://www.scidev.net

June 4, 2009
ÖFSE and Mattersburger Kreis: Presentation of the new JEP (Journal für Entwicklungspolitik) 2-2009: Global Commodity Chains and Production Networks - Understanding Uneven Development in the Global Economy

Excerpt from the Flyer:
"Die Art und Weise, wie globale Produktion und internationaler Handel organisiert werden, hat sich in den letzten drei Jahrzehnten tiefgreifend verändert. Im Rahmen globaler Produktionsnetzwerke wird der Produktionsprozess von Waren und Dienstleistungen aufgespalten und räumlich gestreut. Dies hat große Auswirkungen auf die Entwicklungsagenda von Staaten und Regionen, insbesondere in der Peripherie, sowie auf Unternehmen und ArbeiterInnen."

Date: June 8, 2009, 7pm - 9pm
Venue: Aula des Universitätscampus, Altes AKH, Hof 1, Spitalgasse 2, A-1090 Vienna
Panelists:
Jeffrey Henderson (University of Bristol)
Martin Hess (University of Manchester)
Ralph Lessmeister (Universität Bayreuth)
Leonhard Plank (DOC-team Stipendiat, ÖAW)
Cornelia Staritz (DOC-team Stipendiatin, ÖAW)
Download: Flyer 33 kb
Website: http://www.oefse.at/veranstaltungen.htm

Image: dsa

May 28, 2009
"Current Crises and New Opportunities"
DSA annual conference 2009

The DSA (Development Studies Association) Annual Conference 2009 will be held at the University of Ulster, Coleraine Campus. The theme of the event is "Current Crises and New Opportunities".
These 3 sets of crises comprise the organising themes of the conference, each one having its own plenary session:

* Climate Change and Energy
* Global Economic Crisis
* Clashing Values and Lifestyles

Date: September 2 - 4, 2009
Venue: University of Ulster, Coleraine Campus, UK
Download: Invitation 155 kb
Details: http://www.devstud.org.uk

Image: IPC-IG

May 6, 2009
IPC-IG Working Paper: The Financial Crisis and its Impact on Developing Countries

The new IPC-IG (International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth) Working Paper (number 53) by Stephany Griffith-Jones (Initiative for Policy Dialogue, Columbia University) and Jose Antonio Ocampo (School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University) focuses on the financial crisis and its impact on developing countries.
Abstract:
"This working paper has been commissioned by the Poverty Group, Bureau for Development Policy at UNDP, to identify the transmission mechanisms of the financial crisis from developed to developing countries and to provide broad policy recommendations at the national, global and regional level. The paper identifies three mechanisms that play a key role in spreading the consequences of the financial crisis to the developing world: remittances, capital flows and trade. The policy responses take MDG achievement and poverty reduction as the central policy concern. The paper indicates that a fair number of countries have policy space to protect vulnerable groups in the short run as well as to undertake investments to build resilience and reach these goals in the longer term. Other countries will need additional development assistance to protect development achievements. The authors point to a number of factors that need to be taken into account in determining what mix of policies to deploy including the macroeconomic, fiscal and policy stance of countries and their dynamics. The paper also proposes far-reaching reforms to address the global financial crisis, which would help to put the global macroeconomic, fiscal and financial coordination mechanisms on a firmer footing."

Download: Working Paper 53 266 kb
Website: http://www.ipc-undp.org

Source: OEFSE

April 30, 2009
OEFSE Working Paper: New Donors (Neue Geber)

The new OEFSE paper by Clemens Six and Karin Küblböck gives an overview over different dimensions of the rise of new donors in development policy.
The paper is only available in German.

Download: Working Paper 535 kb German only!
Website: http://www.oefse.at

April 6, 2009
ÖFSE and Mattersburger Kreis: Presentation of the new JEP (Journal für Entwicklungspolitik) 1-2009: Assesing the Transformation of Global Finance

Excerpt from the Flyer:
"In der Krise treten die Widersprüche in der gegenwärtigen Weltfinanzordnung deutlich zu Tage. Während bislang Finanzkrisen primär im Süden auftraten, ist nunmehr auch der Norden erstmals substanziell betroffen. Die globale Peripherie bleibt jedoch nicht von den Auswirkungen der aktuellen Krise verschont, sondern wird – mit einiger zeitlicher Verzögerung – in einem Abwärtsstrudel mitgerissen. In der aktuellen Situation wird daher die Frage aufgeworfen, inwieweit die weltweite Finanzordnung in der vorliegenden Form noch stabilisiert werden kann bzw. soll. Diese Frage steht sowohl im Zentrum der Podiumsdiskussion als auch in der aktuellen Ausgabe des Journals für Entwicklungspolitik. Die Diskussion zur Weltfinanzordnung beschränkt sich dabei jedoch nicht auf die aktuelle Krise. Vielmehr wird versucht, den zugrunde liegenden längerfristig Widersprüchen und Veränderungstendenzen auf die Spur zu kommen. Damit in Zusammenhang wird gefragt, welche Interessen im Norden und im Süden bislang von der Weltfinanzordnung profitiert haben, wie eine alternative Weltfinanzordnung (Stichwort: Bretton Woods II?) ausschauen könnte und wer TrägerInnen für entsprechende Veränderungen sein könnten."

Date: April 23, 2009, 5pm - 6:30pm
Venue: Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Neues Institutsgebäude (NIG), floor 2, room A222, Universitätsstrasse 7, Vienna
Panelists:
Hans-Jürgen Bieling (Universität Hamburg)
Johannes Jäger (Fachhochschule des bfi Wien)
Karin Küblböck (ÖFSE)
Thomas Sablowski (Universität Wien)
Beat Weber (BEIGEWUM)
Download: Flyer 33 kb
Website: http://www.oefse.at/veranstaltungen.htm

Image: IDS

April 1, 2009
IDS: Policy Responses to the Global Financial Crisis

The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) undertook a set of rapid research projects concerning the global financial crisis and its consequences on developing countries.
In-Focus issue 7 features the conclusions on those projects as 2-page policy briefs available for download.

Topics:
- The Global Financial Crisis, Developing Countries and Policy Responses by Neil McCulloch, Anna Schmidt and Andy Summer
- What are the Likely Poverty Impacts of the Current Crises? by Andy Sumner and Sarah Wolcott
- Voices of the Poor in the Current Crises by Naomi Hossain
- Social Protection Responses to the Financial Crisis: What do we Know? by Mark Davies and Allister McGregor
- Macroeconomic Policy, Stimuli, Aid, and Budgeting: What Options? by Ricardo Gottschalk
- China and the Global Financial Crisis: Implications for Low-income Countries by Sarah Cook and Jing Gu
- The Impact on Developing Countries of an OECD Recession by Sherman Robinson and Dirk Willenbockel
- Trade Credit by John Humphrey
- From Crisis Management to Institutional Reform by Anna Schmidt
- Will the Global Financial Crisis Change the Development Paradigm? by Neil McCulloch, Anna Schmidt and Andy Sumner

Details and download: http://www.ids.ac.uk

Image: EADI

March 31, 2009
EADI Call for Academic Papers and Think-pieces

Excerpt from the call:
"This is a call for papers on the theme of ‘After 2015’. Selected papers will be published in a special issue of the IDS Bulletin and inform debate at a planned DSA/EADI/Action Aid High-Level Policy Forum in June."

extended Deadline: May 15, 2009
Details: http://www.eadi.org

Image: OECD

March 31, 2009
Development Co-operation Report 2009

Excerpt from the website:
"The latest OECD statistics show how much aid donor country governments are giving, and to whom. How much goes to the poorest countries? How much goes to multilateral organisations like the United Nations? Which sectors get the most aid: economic infrastructure or social programmes? These statistics show that in 2007, OECD DAC members - the world's largest donor - disbursed USD 103.5 billion. This represents a drop from 0.31% of their combined gross national income in 2006 to 0.28% in 2007, or a fall of 8.5% in real terms."

Website, download: http://masetto.sourceoecd.org

Image: DFID

March 31, 2009
R4D Communications Corner

Communications Corner for R4D by DFID (Department for International Development, GB)
Excerpt from the website:
"Communications Corner is here to provide guidance and inspiration. It is a forum where researchers can learn from each other, share their experiences, and ask for help or advice."

Image: Twas

February 25, 2009
TWAS and COMSTECH launch Joint Research Grants

TWAS is an autonomous international organization based in Trieste, Italy. Its principal aim is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development in the South.
TWAS and the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) are offering grants to scientists up to the age of 40 working in OIC countries.
Grants of up to US$15,000 are available in the following fields of science and technology:
- earth sciences
- engineering sciences
- information technology and computer sciences
- materials science including nanotechnology
- pharmaceutical sciences
- renewable energy

Deadline: March 31, 2009
Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Details: https://twas.ictp.it

Image: EADI

February 12, 2009
EADI Prize for Development Studies 2009
Call for Submissions

Excerpt from the call:
"The European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) announces the 2009 prize for excellence in development research. The prize, worth €1 000, will be awarded for an essay on an issue of development studies in any field of the social sciences submitted and written by a postgraduate student from an EADI member country or attending a programme at an institutional member of the Association."

Deadline: May 31, 2009
Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Details: http://www.eadi.org

Image: DEV-Forum

January 30, 2009
The fifth Research for Development Young Scientist Forum
Call for Abstracts

The main objective of CORET (Conifer Research and Training Partnership) is to provide a meaningful contribution to the overall RNR-sector (Renewable Natural Resources) objective to improve the livelihood of the people of Bhutan.

Deadline: March 2, 2009
Date: March 25, 2009, 4:30 p.m.
Venue: University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna
Details: Call for abstracts 16.93 kb
Website: http://www.boku.ac.at/9150.html

Image: CORET

January 28, 2009
The example of the CORET partnership in Bhutan.

Excerpt from the CORET website:
"The main objective of CORET (Conifer Research and Training Partnership) is to provide a meaningful contribution to the overall RNR-sector (Renewable Natural Resources) objective to improve the livelihood of the people of Bhutan."

Date: March 4, 2009
Venue: University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Peter Jordan-Straße 82, 1180 Vienna
Download: Flyer, external Link 110 kb
Website: http://woek.boku.ac.at/coret/

December 22, 2008
Norrag News 41, Special Issue:
The Politics of Partnership, Peril and Promise

Editor: Kenneth King
NORRAG (Network for Policy Research, Review and Advice on Education and Training), 2008

A brief summary by the editor: "Partnership has become the approved way to relate to the developing world whether as a donor, an NGO, or a researcher. This Special Issue of NN looks at the history and philosophy of research partnership with the South: what are the assumptions of the many Northern agencies which support it? What do Southern researchers think about their involvement in this conditionality? How does partnership affect the practice and quality of research?"

With contribution by KEF-coordinator Birgit Habermann:
"Research Partnership: Charity, Brokerage, Technology - Transfer or Learning Alliance?" pages 33-37
Download: Article by Birgit Habermann 58.14 kb
Download: Full version (external website) 1619 kb
Website: http://www.norrag.org/

Image: EIAR

December 22, 2008
Working with Communities on Integrated natural Resources Management

Editors: Zenebe Admassu, Kindu Mekonnen, Yohannes Gojjam
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), 2008

A brief summary by Kindu Mekonnen (co-editor): "The book on “Working with Communities on Integrated natural Resources Management” consists of research and development experiences from Galessa Watershed in the central Parts of Ethiopia. A total of 13 papers that cover biophysical and social issues in the Galessa watershed are included in the book. The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) in collaboration with the African Highlands Initiative (AHI) project supported the research and development activities in Galessa watershed. The Commission for Development Studies at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (KEF) funded research project on 'indigenous tree and shrub species in Galessa watershed' is also part of the book. The book is expected to serve as a reference material for development agents as well as academicians."

Download: Working with Communities on Integrated natural Resources Management 1.15 mb
Website: http://www.eiar.gov.et

December 11, 2008
OEFSE Working Paper: Research for Development in Europe

The new OEFSE paper by Margarita Langthaler discusses important trends and discussions in European research for development.
The paper is only available in German.

Dowload: Working Paper 457.62 kb German only!
Website: http://www.oefse.at

December 3, 2008
LAC-ACCESS Thematic Reports

LAC-ACCESS’ central objective is to bridge high-quality research organisations in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) with those of the European Union, focusing in particular on the upcoming 7th European Framework Programme for RTD.
Four thematic reports (Energy/Biofuels; Public Health; Agriculture; ICT/TEL) are available for download, which were prepared in the frame of the LAC-ACCESS project. The reports will be translated into Spanish and widely disseminated in Latin America.
Dowload: Thematic Report on Agricultural Research 316.02 kb
Dowload: Thematic Report on on Energy/Biofuels 327.37 kb Nur englische Version!
Dowload: Thematic Report on Public Health Research 268.17 kb
Dowload: Thematic Report on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) / Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) 302.71 kb

Website: http://lac-access.net - Website available in English and Spanish

November 25, 2008
"Voices from the South. The impact of the global financial crisis on developing countries"

This new report by IDS (Institute of Development Studies, UK) has been published in November 2008. Twenty-one thinkers, academics and policymakers from 14 developing countries present snapshot views of how the financial crisis is affecting their countries.

Website and Download: http://www.ids.ac.uk

Image: M. Weissgram

October 29, 2008
IFPRI 2007-2008 Annual Report Essays

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
The dramatic rise and volatility of food prices over the last year have shaken the global food system. Governments and the international development community generally have responded to various aspects of the food crisis, but questions remain about whether the right actions are being pursued, how best to respond, and what the future holds.

"Responding to the World Food Crisis: Getting on the Right Track" by Joachim von Braun
"High Global Food Prices: The Challenges and Opportunities" by Josette Sheeran
"Policy Implications of High Food Prices for Africa" by Namanga Ngongi

Website and Download: http://www.ifpri.org

Image: Dhttp://www.acp-st.eu

October 20, 2008
The ACP - Secretariat announces the implementation of the “ACP Science and Technology Programme”

The ACP Science and Technology Programme is an ACP-EU co-operation programme in the field of science and technology. It is funded by the European Union (from the IXth European Development Fund and the European Union’s General Budget BL 21.031700) and implemented by the ACP Secretariat.
The ACP Science and Technology Programme is developed against the background of the 2002 “Cape Town ACP Ministerial Forum on Research“, the Johannesburg “World Summit on Sustainable Development” and the ‘EC's Strategy for Sustainable Development’.
The Call for Proposals is open to all 79 countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), the 27 EU Member States, the 3 EU Candidate countries, and the 3 European Economic Area -European Free Trade Association (EEA EFTA) States.
February 12, 2009 Update: Deadline for submission postponed!

Should you have any questions on the Call you can request clarifications from the ACP Secretariat until February 20, 2009: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Deadline for Open Call for Proposals: postponed until March 13, 2009
Website: http://www.acp-st.eu
Details: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu
Presentation of the call: Presentation on December 9, 2009 in Brussels 87.07 kb

Image: Dev-Forum, BOKU

October 14, 2008
4th Young Scientist Forum: Challenges for development

The Research for Development Forum (DEV-FORUM) is a scientific platform at BOKU – The University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna. Its mission is to strengthen research for development among its members, which is realised within four business areas. Work that is associated with the DEV-FORUM takes place in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Date: October 29, 2008
Details: Flyer 583.53 kb
Website: http://www.boku.ac.at/dev-forum.html

October 8, 2008
"Implementation of the EU-AU Partnership for Science, Information Society and Space" - Presentation of the 19 "Lighthouse" Projects.

Following an agreement between the European Commission (EC) and the African Union Commission (AUC) on an EU / Africa Strategic Partnership during the EU/ AU Summit in Lisbon in December 2007 eight thematic partnerships were identified, the 8th of these being the partnership for Science, ICT, and Space.

Website: Read the related article on SciDev.net
Website: Press release of European Union

October 6, 2008
Development's Invisible Hands

This year’s theme reflects the 30th Anniversary of the DSA - with the title “Development’s Invisible Hands”, we shall be exploring some of the issues that researchers, practitioners and policy makers consider will impact on development over the next decade and beyond.
Date: November 8, 2008
Venue: Church House, Westminster, London
Details: http://www.devstud.org.uk/conference.htm

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

October 2, 2008
Although most of Africa is considered rural, the continent currently has the fastest rate of urbanization in the world.

To better prepare Africa’s urban settlements for climate variability and change, the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa (CCAA) program invites combined research and capacity building proposals that address the vulnerabilities of Africa’s urban centres to climate change, and will help urban stakeholders work together in developing adaptation options.
Deadline:November 30, 2008
Details: http://www.idrc.ca/ccaa-urbancall/

September 30, 2008
Economic Development in Africa 2008
Export performance following trade liberalization: Some patterns and policy perspectives

On September 15, 2008, UNCTAD (UN Conference on Trade and Development) released this new report. It gives an insight into economic development in Africa. The report says strengthening supply capacity is essential for Africa to benefit from trade liberalization.
Chapter 1 briefly discusses the history of trade policy in Africa, the rationale for trade liberalization and its timing; it also provides an overview of Africa´s export performance to date in value, volume and composition.
Chapter 2 examines Africa´s export performance in agriculture.
Chapter 3 investigates why Africa has failed to diversify into the manufacturing sector in order to increase manufacturing exports.
Chapter 4 discusses some policy options for improving Africa´s export performance. These revolve around the issues of productivity, competitiveness, market access and access to factors of production, both in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.
Details: Download the full report here. 6.0 mb
Website: UNCTAD website

September 4, 2008
The 1st ERA ARD Call on “Bioenergy” is now officially launched.

Researchers and research consortia are invited to submit proposals addressing one or more of the topics and objectives below:
1. Bioenergy production and food security
2. Bioenergy production and poverty alleviation and rural development
3. Bioenergy production and natural resources (land, water, ecosystems, biodiversity)
Deadline: October 31, 2008
Details: Read more 21.85 kb
Website: ERA ARD website

August 27, 2008
EU draft research paper:"Millennium Development Goals at Midpoint: Where do we stand?"

This paper will be a background paper for the forthcoming European Report on Development - a contribution by European researchers to the current debate on the programme of action on the MDGs.

Details: Download the paper here 1040 kb
Website: The European Commission's Website on development and relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific States

August 18, 2008
Three US$800,000 grants from RISE

Following a competitive selection process the Regional Initiative in Science and Education (RISE) announced that grants, each worth US$800,000 over 2.5 years, will be awarded to three networks of sub-Saharan universities:
AMSEN - The African Materials Science and Engineering Network
( http://www.msi-sig.org/amsen.html )
SABINA - Southern African Biochemistry and Informatics for Natural Products
( http://www.msi-sig.org/sabina.html )
WIO-RISE - The Western Indian Ocean Regional Initiative in Marine Science and Education
( http://www.msi-sig.org/wio-rise.html )

Details: Press Release 128.24 kb
Website: http://www.msi-sig.org/rise.html

August 7, 2008
Research for Development Young Scientist Forum
Call for Abstracts

Deadline: Monday, September 15th 2008
Date: Wednesday, October 29th 2008, 4 p.m.
Venue: University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna
Details: Details 70.64 kb
Further information: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Research for Development Young Scientist Forum is a biannual event that brings together students, senior researchers and development practitioners with different natural and social science backgrounds. The main purpose of the Forum is to share lessons from undergraduate and post-graduate research in the developing world. The Research for Development Young Scientist Forum provides participants with insight into ongoing or recently completed ‘research for development thesis. The first Research for Development Young Scientist Forum was held in December 2006. It explored options to strengthen the relevance of research for development. The second Forum in June 2007 addressed the importance of partnership when conducting development research whereas the third forum in December 2007 focused on the contribution of development research to poverty reduction.

July 23, 2008
La politique de Développement de l'Union européenne

Frisch, Dieter (2008) La politique de Développement de l'Union européenne: Un Regard Personnel sur 50 ans de Cooperation Internationale. In: Rapport ECDPM 15

The European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM), based in Maastricht and Brussels, helps to build effective partnerships between Europe and the ACP States in order to make the EU-ACP partnership more balanced and effective and tackle development challenges.

Download: Download the report here (Only in French!) 364.39 kb
Website: http://www.ecdpm.org

July 2008
"Science without Borders"

A new web-portal is online - it's topic: Science without Borders. The portal intends to connect Europe and Africa and wants to become a big international networking opportunity.
Weblink: http://science.without-borders.org/

July 2008
"Safer water, better health"

For the first time a report depicts country-by-country estimates of the burden of disease due to water, sanitation and hygiene.
Newly published the report fits into our Topic of the Month July 2008: it provides the epidemiological evidence and economic arguments for fully integrating water, sanitation and hygiene in countries' disease reduction strategies -- a pre-requisite to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
WHO: Weblink to WHO-infopage
Download: Get the report as PDF-file (external link) 2.6 mb

2008-6-24
Conference: Global Governance for Sustainable Development

When: 24th-28th of June 2008
Where: Uni Dufour, Rue du Général-Dufour 24, 1204 Geneva
Details: http://eadi.org/gc2008/
Registration: http://eadi.org
Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
External blog: http://www.gc2008.net/blog/
Internal blog: Comments by Birgit Habermann are below!

The combination of a growing population and worldwide increasing standards of living threatens to overstretch the carrying capacity of our planet at both ends: in the use of finite energy and non-renewable natural resources and in the capacity to absorb the polluting effluents of human activities.
Climate change and other environmental disasters affect all countries whether developed or developing, but poor countries have less resources to protect themselves against the new risks of global warming, rising sea levels, desertification and the loss of biodiversity. They will need more assistance to meet those interconnected challenges.
Thus the challenges of sustainable development are multiple: How can the more advanced countries be persuaded to accept their responsibility for the protection of global public goods? Can a grand bargain between the developed and the rapidly developing countries give the latter an opportunity to raise their living standards without compromising the future development of all countries? And how can the poorest countries of all be protected against the impact of climate change and the depletion of other natural resources?
The Conference aims to discuss all these and even more questions. For taking part you have to register (fee required), but there is a public lecture every day (see Programme).

05.06. 2008
Economic Partnership Agreements
Analyse des Verhandlungsfortschritts und Perspektiven

Wann: 5.6.2008, 9:30-13:00
Wo: Diplomatische Akademie Wien / Musikzimmer; Favoritenstr. 15a, 1040 Wien
Details: Einladung 252.25 kb
Anmeldung: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Die "Economic Partnership Agreements" (EPA`s) sind ein wichtiger Teil des, das Lome IV Abkommen ablösenden, Cotonou-Agreements. Ursprünglich sollten bis Ende 2007 EPA`s mit allen 79 AKP-Staaten unterzeichnet sein, bisher tragen aber erst 35 dieser Verträge eine Unterschrift. Zu unterschiedlich scheinen die einzelnen Interessen, zu kontroversiell die verschiedenen Themen.

Die Veranstaltung soll den aktuellen Verhandlungsstand analysieren und Perspektiven und potentielle Auswirkungen der Economic Partnership Agreements auf die beteiligten Länder diskutieren sowie in diesem Rahmen mögliche Strategien der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit ausloten.

2008-5-21
South-South research collaboration at Scidev.net

Recent years have seen a growing interest in the idea that a potentially rewarding and effective way of building scientific capacity in developing countries is by encouraging researchers in these countries to collaborate on joint research projects or programmes. This week, SciDev.Net publishes a set of articles outlining the advantages – and challenges – of South-South research collaboration.
You can find the new portal here.

2008-6-18
Open Call for Proposals

Edulink funds cooperative projects between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the ACP Group of States and the 15 EU Member States that are signatories to the 9th European Development Fund (EDF).

The proposals have to be submitted until 18th of June.