Development Policy Seminar

"Inter-Disciplinary Initiatives in Development Research and Education at UCPH"

Speakers: Professor Morten Broberg, Faculty of Law and Professor Henrik Hansen,
Department of Economics

Morten Broberg:
University of Copenhagen’s research in the field of development is both extensive and of very high quality. A large number of those matters, which our researchers are working on, are of an inter-disciplinary nature. However, the University’s internal inter-disciplinary exchanges in the development field are often rather limited. Not least in order to improve the inter-disciplinary cooperation, University of Copenhagen's Working Group for Development (the UCPH inter-faculty working group in the field of development research) has allocated some funding for building inter-disciplinary networks; and will particularly aim this work at the University’s younger members of staff. The idea is to assist younger researchers who are interested in meeting about a specific topic within the field of development research. Hence, if for instance a young researcher has an interest in particular aspects of migration or good governance it may beenriching to meet with colleagues from other disciplines to discuss the topic, to establish reading groups or to initiate cooperation in other ways. Similarly, it may be very useful to join forces with regards to external funding – not least since inter-disciplinarity is often attributed great weight as part of the evaluation of funding applications.

 
University of Copenhagen's Working Group for Development has no pre-determined view when it comes to the format of the meetings etc. Our intention is to help establish contacts between the different researchers and to provide assistance on the purely practical level. Also, we will provide some (limited) funding so that it will be possible to provide a bit of food and drink for the meetings. In contrast, it is for the researchers to decide the contents of the meetings. On 27 May at 3 pm we would like to provide more info on the initiative – and will also be happy to take steps to organising something more specific now.

Henrik Hansen:
The Faculty of Social Sciences has applied for permission to start a new inter-disciplinary master program: MSc in Global Development. Henrik Hansen will present the plans for the new education and discuss if thisprogramme could provide a platform for new inter-disciplinary development research