The Environment for Development (EfD) Initiative is starting a selection procedure to expand their global research network with two additional centers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
About the EfD Initiative
The Environment for Development Initiative is a capacity building program in environmental economics focusing on research, policy interaction, and academic programs. The overall objective of EfD is to support poverty alleviation and sustainable development by building environmental economics capacity in policy making processes.
EfD was established in 2007 by the Environmental Economics Unit, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The EfD network now has centers hosted by universities or academic institutions in Central America, Chile, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, USA, and Vietnam. Financial support is provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Other donors supporting EfD research include The World Bank, IDRC, Conservation International and The Swedish Research Council Formas.
Opportunity to establish two more EfD centers
The EfD model has shown to be successful in establishing vibrant research centers with strong links to graduate programs and policy-making. At a time when more and more developing countries are seeking paths for a more sustainable development, Sida has given EfD the opportunity to expand the network with two more centers in the Sub-Saharan African region. The Sida-support will include about 100 000 USD per year in core support and access to the EfD Research Fund as well as technical support from the EfD secretariat and network.
The EfD Secretariat, the administrative hub and the main support function of the EfD Initiative, is hosted by University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The secretariat serves the EfD centers with research management, central communication functions, core support management and administration, and acts as an incubator for policy interaction issues to share experiences between the EfD centers and other relevant actors.
Selection of new centers
This open call for expression of interest is directed at universities and academic institutes in Sub-Saharan Africa that:
- Have the ambition to create a vibrant research center focusing on the application of environmental economics to poverty alleviation and green growth;
- Have close ties to a graduate program with a specialization in environment, climate or resource economics;
- Have the ambition to work closely with policy makers and other stakeholders to ensure that relevant environmental economics research is used in key policies and plans;
- Are hosted by an academic institution that can provide a conducive setting for the center and that can ensure long-term sustainability.
EfD will carry out a thorough selection procedure to assess institutes that express their interest based on the following criteria:
(i) Alignment of the institute’s aims with those of EfD;
(ii) Quality of research in the field of environmental economics and the potential for further development;
(iii) Size and quality of graduate programs with national and/or regional reach;
(iv) The institute’s potential to have domestic policy impact;
(v) The capacity of the hosting institution to enable and sustain the center.
Submission of expression of interest
Institutes that meet the criteria above and have a genuine interest in joining the EfD Initiative are cordially invited to submit their expression of interest. Please state the following, using the attached form:
- Motivation;
- Existing research capacity (List researchers in the field of environment and resource economics. We are looking for strong environments with PhDs but also PhD students enrich such an academic environment);
- Relevant academic courses and programs given;
- Experience and ambitions with regard to interaction with policy-making;
- Institutional platform, administrative capacity, current involvement in networks.
Please send your expression of interest using the attached form to Marleen Poot, Research Officer at EfD, marleen.poot@gu.se. Expressions of interest should be submitted by August 7, 2017, at the latest.
More information about EfD and our work can be found on: http://www.efdinitiative.org. For further questions, please contact Marleen Poot, marleen.poot@gu.se.