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United Nations University–MERIT

United Nations University–MERIT (UNU-MERIT) is a research and training institute of United Nations University based in Maastricht. The institute, which collaborates closely with Maastricht University, explores the social, political and economic factors that drive technological innovation, with a particular focus on creation, diffusion and access to knowledge.


Working with its School of Governance (MGSoG), UNU-MERIT covers all aspects of governance in domestic and global organisations, from risk assessment to policy analysis, design, and evaluation.

Fast facts

  • 108 PhD fellows, including 72 from developing countries and 59 women
  • 74 staff members, including 14 from developing countries and 33 women
  • one of the largest institutes in the United Nations University network
  • ranked among the top innovation institutes in the world: above Harvard Business School and the MIT Economics Department
  • led by Prof. Bart Verspagen
UNU-MERIT website

Meet Ibrahima Sory Kaba - PhD fellow at UNU-MERIT

Research

UNU-MERIT’s research programme is organised around eight research themes based on broadly common methodological approaches. Click here for more information about UNU-MERIT's Research Themes.

Education

UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance offer a full-time PhD Programme on Innovation, Economics and Governance for Development (IEGD) and a dual career training programme to obtain a PhD in Governance and Policy Analysis (GPAC²).

Additionally, the institute offers a one-year double-degree Master of Science programme in Public Policy and Human Development (top ranked in its field in the Netherlands) as well as a number of short courses and online courses. The Evidence-Based Policy Research Methods (EPRM) course aims to equip participants with the fundamental tools for designing and analysing evidence-based research. The UNU-MERIT course on the Design and Evaluation of Innovation Policies (DEIP) is an intensive one-week course for policymakers in science, technology and innovation policy in developing countries and for participants from the private sector involved in strategic decision-making about technology and innovation. The Migration Management Diploma Programme is a three-month course designed for practitioners and civil servants working in the field of migration and/or asylum.

Research lines

  • The Economics of Knowledge and Innovation
  • Poverty, Public Policy and Inclusive Innovation
  • Economic Development, Innovation, Governance and Institutions
  • Sustainable Development, Innovation and Societal Transitions
  • Innovation Systems Indicators and Policy
  • Migration and Development
  • ICT-enabled Innovation and Societal Transformations
  • Population, Development and Labour Economics

Maastricht Graduate School of Governance

The Maastricht Graduate School of Governance (MGSoG) of Maastricht University is integrated within UNU-MERIT; MGSoG is the centre for UNU-MERIT’s double degree Master of Science in Public Policy and Human Development, which aims to train public policy professionals for the global community. UNU-MERIT, including MGSoG, has been closely involved in research for a variety of UN agencies, including the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the World Bank.

Go to the website of the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance

Luc Soete

“Practically all countries in the world – whether rich or poor – are constantly searching for creative ways to accelerate their economic growth and achieve sustainable development. Integral to this process is a better understanding of how knowledge and new technologies are created and shared.”

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Shyama Ramani

“When I’m working with European and Indian students in the village in India, I feel that I’m teaching at a level far beyond what I teach in class. Through action-research, I’ve improved as a researcher, as a teacher, as a human being. The returns are enormous for any academic wanting to do this. It may not attract all students but it will attract some, and these will be the change makers of the future.”

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Franziska Gassmann

“It is important for governments to be able to show whether the objectives have been achieved, where the money allocated has been spent wisely, whether it led to the intended outcomes. That’s why it is so important to regularly monitor and evaluate policies and particularly their results, in order to generate and safeguard continued political and social support for social protection policies.”

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