© 2012 SCNAT
News
| 15.05.2012 Other |
Comparative Research Networks in Africa
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| Call for Proposals 2012 |
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| CODESRIA invites proposals from researchers based in African universities and centres of research for the constitution of Comparative Research Networks (CRNs) to undertake studies on or around priority research themes.
The primary purpose of CRNs is to encourage a comparative analytic perspective in the work of African social researchers.
To find out more about the details of how to apply, please see the CODESRIA website or contact them by email. |
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| Deadline: 15 June, 2012 |
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| more via CODESRIA |
| 14.05.2012 Announcement |
Rio + 20: The Future Switzerland Wants
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| With only weeks to go before Rio+20 – “The Future We Want” – the world is busy preparing. Expectations are high ahead of the global conference, a follow-up to the historic Rio Earth Summit of 1992. What future does Switzerland want? What is Switzerland’s position in the negotiations? What does “Sustainable Development” mean for Switzerland? The event Rio+20: The Future Switzerland Wants seeks to answer these questions in a panel discussion with representatives from government, industry, science, and NGOs, including members of the Swiss delegation to Rio+20. The panel discussion is preceded by keynote speeches by representatives of the Stockholm Environment Institute and the South Centre in Geneva. The event is organised by CDE (Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern) in cooperation with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, the Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO. |
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| more http://www2.cde.unibe.ch/Pages/default.aspx more Flyer (in German) |
| 11.05.2012 Other |
Schweizer Forscher jagen tödlichen Parasiten
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| via Tagesanzeiger |
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| Zwei Schweizer Forscher erhalten von der Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) für ihr Projekt zur Parasitenbekämpfung eine Million US-Dollar. Der Basler Parasitologe Reto Brun vom Schweizerischen Tropen- und Public-Health-Institut forscht gemeinsam mit der Berner Molekularbiologin Isabel Roditi an einer neuen Methode, um den sogenannten Trypanosomen-Parasiten zu eliminieren.
Dieser Parasit, der in den ländlichen Gegenden Afrikas vorkommt, wird von der Tsetsefliege auf den Menschen übertragen und löst bei ihm die Afrikanische Schlafkrankheit aus |
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| 08.05.2012 Other |
Call for Research Proposals - GDN (Deadline 21 May)
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| The Global Development Network invites researchers from developing and transition countries to submit proposals for the 2012 Global Research Competition. The themes in 2012—which is the pilot year of this program - include Education & Gender, Food Security and Political Economic & Social Transformations. The research competition is inter-regional and multi-disciplinary. Proposals can be submitted individually, or in teams. An online platform will help individuals and incomplete teams to find collaborators. Each winning team will be paired with world-class mentors. Grants are up to US$ 32,000 for projects of up to 18 months.
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| The submission deadline is 21 May 2012. For more information and to apply please visit GDN Website |
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| More http://www.gdn.int/grc |
| 07.05.2012 Publication |
Transnational Land Deals for Agriculture in the Global South
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| Land Matrix partnership which includes CDE (the Centre for Development and Environment of the University of Bern) published its first analytical report, launched on 26 April 2012 at the Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty.
It is based on data from over 1,000 agricultural land deals since 2000. The new data reveal a geographical concentration of agricultural land investments: just 11 countries, many in East Africa and Southeast Asia, account for 70% of the total land area acquired in the deals analysed. The main investor countries are classified into three groups: emerging economies, Gulf states, and Europe and North America. Evidence of increasing south-south investment and intra-regionalism is another major finding. |
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| more to the report |
| 02.05.2012 Other |
Land Matrix
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| The Land Matrix is an online public database of large-scale land deals. It provides a visualisation of records documenting land deals since 2000. The data you can explore represent about 50% of the entire data base. The remaining deals are being crosschecked and added, together with new data provided, on an on-going basis. The visualisations offer overview of the data as well as giving full access to the public database down to the level of an individual deal. |
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| more http://landportal.info/landmatrix |
| 02.05.2012 Media |
Switzerland and South Africa step up cooperation on science
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| A high-level Swiss delegation led by the State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) arrived in South Africa last week and met their counterparts from the South African Department of Science and Technology to discuss the main points of the second phase of cooperation under the bilateral agreement signed in 2007. |
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| more via News Admin |
| 26.04.2012 Announcement |
IPBES launched in Panama!
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| After several years of international negotiations, the final operational design of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was agreed in Panama last Friday. The new IPBES secretariat will be hosted in Bonn, Germany. |
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After several years of international negotiations, the final operational design of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was agreed in Panama last Friday. "Today, biodiversity won", said the chair of the meeting, Sir Robert Watson. "Over 90 governments successfully established the science-policy interface for all countries. Biodiversity and ecosystem services are essential for human wellbeing. This platform will generate the knowledge and build the capacity to protect them for this and future generations."
The new IPBES secretariat will be hosted in Bonn, Germany, who won the bid against South Korea, Kenya, France, and India.
DIVERSITAS was one of the key players over the last years to establish IPBES. Anne Larigauderie, Executive Director of DIVERSITAS, praised the decision to establish a Multidisciplinary Expert Panel (MEP) to perform the scientific and technical functions of IPBES. "This will ensure scientific independence, as well as the representation of the mix of disciplines necessary to address future requests from the IPBES Plenary". She also welcomed "the decision to start implementing IPBES now, through an ambitious intersessional work programme".
The core functions of IPBES will be:
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| More informations http://www.ipbes.net |
| 26.04.2012 Publication |
A review on farm household modelling with a focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation
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| This study systematically reviewed the literature to evaluate how suitable existing farm and farm household models are to study aspects of food security in relation to climate change adaptation, risk management and mitigation. Approximately 16,000 research articles covering more than 1000 models were systematically scanned . They found 126 models that met the criteria for subsequent detailed analysis. Although many models use climate as an input, few were used to study climate change adaptation or mitigation at farm level. Promising mixtures of methodologies include mathematical programming for farm level decision-making, dynamic simulation for the production components and agent based modelling for the spread of information and technologies between farmers. There is a need for more explicit farm level analyses with a focus on adaptation, vulnerability and risk. In general terms, this systematic review concludes that there are enough techniques for integrated assessments of farm systems in relation to climate change, adaptation and mitigation, but they have not yet been combined in a way that is meaningful to farm level decision makers. |
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| more the report - via DIFID |
| 19.04.2012 Announcement |
JTI Foundation Resilience Award
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| GRF Davos is announcing the JTI Foundation Resilience Award of CHF 175’000.- for the best project proposal on resilience increase at city or community level submitted (until 15 June 2012). More information on the award website. |
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| more via IDRC Davos more JTI Foundation |
| 18.04.2012 Announcement |
3rd International Conference on Research for Development
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| to be held 20-22 August 2012 in Bern |
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| The aim of the 3rd ICRD is to share and discuss recent insights on development-oriented research conducted in North-South partnerships, and to develop a research policy agenda for global transformation.
More than 200 abstracts were submitted after the first call. However, the organisers are still gladly accepting abstract submissions for oral or poster presentations at the workshop sessions. New abstracts are continuously being reviewed by session convenors, and may be accepted up until 15 June 2012 at the latest. |
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| Please visit the website for the programme, including the names of the keynote speakers, the titles of the workshop sessions and the 2nd call for contributions. |
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| The ICRD Website http://www.icrd.ch |
| 18.04.2012 Publication |
Anthropocene - the Geology of Humanity
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| IGBP Newsletter 'Global Change' No 78, March 2012: This issue looks at the Anthropocene, humanity's epoch. It also examines urban expansion, consumption of resources, natural catastrophes' effects on economics and how to better build our future.
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| more IGBP Newsletter |
| 17.04.2012 Other |
Wellcome Trust makes research more accessible
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| The Wellcome Trust has announced that it is launching an initiative to support free, online publication of scientific research to compete with established academic journals.
Established in 1936, The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation dedicated to “achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health” and remains one of the UK’s largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research.
Wellcome Trust Director, Sir Mark Walport, states that “research isn’t finished until it’s been published, and by publishing the work that we fund in open access formats it means that as many people as possible are able to have access to the literature without any hindrance at all, and that of course will ultimately maximize the value and the impact of the research that we fund.” |
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| more via DFID more Wellcome Trust |
| 10.04.2012 Announcement Announcement |
SFIAR Award 2012 - Call for Proposals
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| The Swiss Forum for International Agricultural Research (SFIAR) offers an annual Award for scientists working for a Swiss institution in agricultural research for development.
With this Award the SFIAR aims to:
a) support relevant agricultural research for development (ARD)
b) promote knowledge on and visibility of Swiss ARD
The SFIAR Award 2012 (prize sum: CHF 5'000.-) focuses on young researcher, PhD or Post Doc projects. |
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| Deadline for applications: 10 July 2012 |
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| more http://www.sfiar.ch/award.htm |
| 09.04.2012 Other |
Achieving food security in the face of climate change
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| The Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change launched its final recommendations for ensuring food security under a changing climate end of March 2012. The final report was accompanied by the launch of the animation “How to feed the world in 2050: actions in a changing climate” |
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| more the report more the video more http://ccafs.cgiar.org/ |
| 31.03.2012 Meeting reports |
Planet is in critical state, warns science declaration
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| via SciDevNet |
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| Earth has only one decade to pull itself back from various environmental \'tipping points\' — points at which the damage becomes irreversible, scientists have said.
If it fails to do so, it is likely to witness a series of breakdowns in the systems that sustain people, such as oceans and soil, according to a major meeting on safeguarding the planet\'s future, the Planet Under Pressure conference (26–29 March).
\"Research now demonstrates that the continued functioning of the Earth system as it has supported the wellbeing of human civilization in recent centuries is at risk,\" said some of the world\'s leading documenters of global environmental change in the first \'State of the Planet\' declaration.
They also admitted that scientists could no longer continue with \'business as usual\'.
More via SciDevNet |
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| 30.03.2012 Other |
Factsheets Rio+20
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| In view of the Rio+20 Conference the Swiss Academy of Sciences prepares factsheets on different topics in collaboration with Swiss researchers: water, mountain areas, biodiversity and food security. The factsheets summarize both the most important global aspects and also include the Swiss perspective. |
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| The factsheets are based on the Policy Briefs of the Planet under Pressure Conference (http://http://www.planetunderpressure2012.net/policybriefs.asp).
The single issues of the factsheet series will be published in the coming weeks. They will be available in PDF for downloading in English, German and French. The factsheet on “Water security for a planet under pressure and the consequences for Switzerland“ is already available. All factsheets are expected to be available in print by May.
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| 30.03.2012 Other |
New map overlays conflict, climate change and aid in Africa
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| A pilot version of an online mapping tool has been launched in Africa which enables researchers and policymakers to identify how climate change vulnerability, conflict, and aid intersect.
Researchers from the Strauss Center\'s Climate Change and African Political Stability (CCAPS) programme, United States, integrated data from areas of climate change vulnerability and active aid-funded projects in Malawi, and mapped this information onto the locations of Malawian conflicts up to 2010.
The result is a dynamic tool that can help policymakers, researchers and aid groups plan for climate change mitigation activities and deliver aid more effectively. |
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| 21.03.2012 Other |
AAAS's new quarterly publication, Science & Diplomacy
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| The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has just launched Science & Diplomacy, a new quarterly publication that aims to serve as a forum for ideas, analysis and research related to the emerging field of science diplomacy by scientists, diplomats and international thinkers. |
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| more http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/ Interview with the editor in chief via SciDevNet |
| 12.03.2012 Other |
Innovation et développement en milieu rural - appel à candidatures
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| Appel à candidatures pour le recrutement de la deuxième promotion du master AGRINOVIA : "innovation et développement en milieu rural"" du 1 octobre 2012 au 31 Mai 2013 à l’Université de Ouagadougou.
AGRINOVIA est un programme de formation professionnelle internationale sur l’innovation et le partenariat destiné à des professionnels ou des étudiants dans le domaine du développement rural en Afrique. Cette formation se déroulera à Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) du 1er Octobre 2012 au 31 Mai 2013.
Peu d’innovations sont le fruit d’un partenariat actif entre différentes familles d’acteurs, restant ainsi prisonnières d’une source de savoir unique, d’une vision du monde particulière, limitant ainsi souvent leur efficacité, leur diffusion et même leur pérennité. Par conséquent, il devient nécessaire de repenser les dispositifs d’appui et d’accompagnement des innovations en mettant l’accent sur le renforcement des approches collaboratives entre ces acteurs. Apprendre ensemble et travailler collectivement s’impose comme un nouveau défi mais nécessite, à l’évidence, l’acquisition de nouvelles compétences et capacités pour les professionnels du développement. |
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| Date limite d'inscription: 30 May 2012 |
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| voir http://www.agrinovia.org/web/ |
| 12.03.2012 Announcement |
Call for Agricultural Research for Development
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| An ERA-ARD II transnational call for Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) is now open: The theme of this Call is:“Improving rural livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa: Sustainable and climate-smart intensification of agricultural production”
As a member of the ERA-ARD Consortium, Switzerland has committed CHF 440’000.-. With this amount SDC will fund the participation of Swiss research institutions and their partners from developing countries in this call. |
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| Deadline for applications: 22 May 2012
For more information contact the Swiss National Contact Point: manfred.kaufmann@deza.admin.ch |
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| more information http://www.era-ard.org/joint-calls/open-call/ |
| 06.03.2012 Announcement |
SDC and SNSF launch new research programme
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| The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) are jointly launching the "Swiss Programme for Research on Global Issues for Development" (r4d.ch programme) with an initial call for proposals. A total budget of 97.6 million Swiss francs is available for the whole duration of the programme from 2012 to 2022. |
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| The r4d.ch programme supports interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research dedicated to solving urgent global problems. The focus will be on reducing poverty and global risks.
Research partnerships
The r4d.ch programme consists of five thematic research modules and a thematically open module for projects without pre-defined topics. An interdisciplinary approach is strongly encouraged and research results are expected to be applied and implemented within the political and practical realms. Eligible for funding are transnational research partnership projects that consist of at least one Swiss research group and two research groups from two different developing countries (in the thematically open module: from at least one developing country).
Scientific quality and developmental relevance
The strategic responsibility for the programme is borne jointly by the SDC and the SNSF. The two organisations are equally represented in the Steering Committee. The SNSF is moreover responsible for implementing the programme.
The individual programmes will be supervised by review panels composed of international experts who will also support the projects in an advisory function. The evaluation of projects will be based in equal measure on the criteria "scientific quality" and "developmental relevance". |
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| more R4D.CH |
| 28.02.2012 Other |
Swiss Water Partnership launched
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| Representatives of 45 organisations from the Swiss Confederation, the scientific and research communities, the private sector and aid agencies launched the Swiss Water Partnership (SWP) in the presence of SDC Director-General Martin Dahinden. The SWP aims to strengthen the international profile of the Swiss water sector and to create synergies between its members' activities. |
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| more about the initiative see http://www.swisswaterpartnership.ch/ |
| 22.02.2012 Announcement |
Executive Master in Development Policies and Practices
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| The Graduate Institute's Executive Education is pleased to present you its new Executive Master in Development Policies and Practices, in partnership with the University of Ghana Business School (Accra), the Institut supérieur de technologies appliquées (Bamako), the Asian Institute of Technology Center in Vietnam (Hanoi) and theCentro de Estudios y Promoción del Desarrollo (Lima). |
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| The DPP programme aims to strengthen institutions active in local / regional development by reinforcing the analysis and leadership skills of their staff. Participants carry out an applied study related to their work and relevant for their institution.
This programme is targeted to professionals coming mainly from Africa, Latin America and Asia. Nevertheless, it is also open to Swiss candidates working in international cooperation, whether they are based in the field or at the headquarters of their organisation. |
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| more via the Graduateinstitute |
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