STRATEGIC PLAN

St r a te g ic Pl a n | 2021 – 2025
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 3

FOREWORD
enormous threat of climate change to human survival
and the devastating effects of COVID-19 on global
inequality; we embrace ‘team science’ as a way to
address these increasingly complex problems that
require multidisciplinary solutions; and we develop

Table of
new computational expertise, tapping into the
emerging multidisciplinary area of computational
social science.

Contents Crucially, this plan has been shaped and refined over
an entire academic year by people from across UNU-
MERIT: our academic and support staff, but also
Master’s students, PhD candidates, professorial
fellows, our international advisory board, and external
Foreword 3 I am proud to present to you this strategic plan for partners. From September 2020 until June 2021,
UNU-MERIT, which outlines our ambitions and plans dozens of people have joined working groups, task
1 | Profile 4 for the next four years in our key areas of research, forces, workshops and other strategy meetings. We
education, impact, outreach, as well as in terms of have met, discussed, brainstormed, analysed,
2 | Structure 8 personal well-being and community development. hypothesised and shared our hopes and dreams that
Driven by the ambition to be a leading actor in the gradually informed this strategy, together, piece-by-
global effort to achieve the UN 2030 Agenda, this piece, month-after-month. We have openly talked
3 | Positioning 12
strategic plan presents our new positioning on about what we wanted to change, and built a vision
comprehensive innovation. Embedded in a new for our common future together. This report is a
4 | Research 16
organisational structure and carried forward by a reflection of all these discussions, all our inspiration
committed team of support staff, we will leverage our and aspirations, and all our efforts to make UNU-
5 | Education 20
world-leading expertise in the economics of MERIT the place we want it to be.
innovation & technology and in governance & public
6 | Impact 24 policy to unlock the full potential of social, economic I am immensely grateful to everyone who has put
and technological innovation. We will support these their trust in this immense effort, after we jointly
7 | Outreach 28 ambitions with strategic new investments in academic embarked on this strategy development process in
and UN staff positions and critical new support roles. September 2020. It gives me the confidence to
8 | Well-being 32 present to you this strategic plan – so I am now
A plan is only strategic when it truly guides us looking forward to implementing it together over the
towards our shared vision. Therefore, this plan next few years, and to seeing UNU-MERIT excel and
presents an evidence-based narrative offering flourish.
concrete actions for the institute to take. This plan
responds to three important and urgent trends: we Prof. Dr. Bartel Van de Walle,
address pressing global challenges such as the Director of UNU-MERIT
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 1 | Profile 5

The United Nations University –

Maastricht Economic and Social
Research Institute on Innovation and
Technology (UNU-MERIT) is a 1 | Profile
research and training institute of
UNU-MERIT envisions a world where the social, comprehensive approach is needed, as any single
United Nations University, which economic and technological nature of innovation is perspective can only provide for incomplete findings

collaborates closely with Maastricht not only well understood but also well governed; a
world where societies champion well-being and
and inadequate policy recommendations. The pursuit
of a comprehensive understanding of innovation is

University (UM) in the south of the sustainable development for all, while using
innovation as the key to change. The mission of
the new focus of UNU-MERIT, and will be reflected in
the UNU-MERIT profile through its new positioning:
Netherlands. UNU-MERIT is therefore to advance societal policy Comprehensive Innovation for Sustainable
and innovation research, to provide education and Development (CI4SD).
to mobilise knowledge in order to unlock the full
potential of innovation for achieving inclusive
Achieving ambitions
sustainable development. Against this backdrop,
UNU-MERIT firmly subscribes to the mission of Our ambition therefore is to push the boundaries of
UNU to help tackle the pressing global problems research, education and knowledge mobilisation for
of human survival, development and welfare that understanding and governing comprehensive
are the concern of the United Nations, its Peoples innovation. Many factors in the complex realm of
and Member States. social-economic-technological innovation and their
effects on human and economic development remain
The vision and mission of UNU-MERIT set the stage unexplored and unknown. We will further investigate
for our institutional focus and profile. Our activities in these factors to design, develop, test and implement
research, education and knowledge mobilisation novel approaches that contribute to our
focus on the crucial role of innovation for achieving understanding and governance of comprehensive
inclusive sustainable development. We accept, innovation. These investigations will not only draw
however, that innovation is not always a positive from the expertise present in our institute in the areas
force. Innovations may lead to uneven economic of economics, policy and governance, but will open
participation and unequal distribution of its benefits, up new avenues towards novel computational and
leaving those behind who lack access to education, data analytics research. UNU-MERIT’s ambition
knowledge or financial resources. Unequal levels of therefore is to generate new knowledge on the
development create additional challenges, such as a intricate nature and role of innovation in complex
growing lack of social protection, spurring unequal social-economic-technological settings, to translate
wealth accumulation, or a deepening digital divide. this knowledge into new methods, tools, policies and
Unequal global levels of human and economic governance structures, and to educate and train
development may also cause human migration, students, researchers and policymakers to assimilate,
potentially depleting the innovation potential of apply and implement these new insights.
regions from where talent leaves.
To maintain and develop our global leadership role
To fully address the intricate and interwoven social, in advancing research, we will engage in outstanding
economic and technological aspects of innovation a transdisciplinary research, collaboration with leading
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 1 | Profile 7

researchers and research institutions worldwide, with In order to nurture and develop our internationally knowledge in each of the social-economic- As such, UNU-MERIT fully aligns with Maastricht
a focus on deepening our engagement with the recognised role in translating science into policy and technology domains is essential and will continue to University’s ambition to be an inclusive,
Global South. Through our globally renowned PhD practice, we will interact with strategically selected be nurtured within UNU-MERIT, more is needed to innovative and sustainable institution as
programme, we will continue to foster new practitioners and policymakers from local to global achieve our ambitions. Therefore, we will highlighted in its Sustainable UM 2030 Plan.
generations of researchers and academic leaders levels. We will position UNU-MERIT as an increasingly work as teams combining expertise and
through inter-disciplinary academic education and international hub for science, practice and policy knowledge from the fields in which we already excel
training. dialogues, anchored in the academic and social with expertise and knowledge from novel domains
environment of the city of Maastricht, the ‘Euregio’ such as computational social science and data
Sustaining and developing our internationally region straddling the Belgian, Dutch and German analytics.
recognised contribution to education and training borders. Communication and outreach is henceforth
will be accomplished by further developing the a central part of UNU-MERIT’s work in connecting Lastly, an efficient and supportive administration,
UNU-UM Master’s programme in Public Policy & science to policy and practice. and an inclusive, transparent, trusted and safe
Human Development. We will do this by embracing internal working environment that facilitates
our comprehensive innovation approach, expanding To push the boundaries of research, education and academic freedom, sparks creativity and stimulates
our established training programmes and knowledge mobilisation for understanding and our individual and collective best efforts are
developing new opportunities that target talent governing comprehensive innovation requires us to prerequisites for making the mission and vision of
across the Global South. work differently. While specific expertise and UNU-MERIT a reality.
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 2 | Structure 9

Via the Hub, we aim to be an active

partner on innovation processes and
projects, setting out new scientific
insights and bringing our training to 2 | Structure
policymakers.
The first phase of the strategy development process Via the Hub, we aim to be an active partner on
indicated a clear need to redesign the present innovation processes and projects, setting out new
structure of UNU-MERIT. The main justification for scientific insights and bringing our training to
this proposed revision was the complicated structure policymakers.
of the institute, which was no longer seen as
amenable to lasting cooperation, common success, Where UNU-MERIT interfaces with UM, the Maastricht
visibility or even well-being. To address these Graduate School of Governance (MGSoG) and the
failings, we aim to provide a unified environment for MERIT Institute will merge into a single new
all UNU-MERIT staff members to conduct research organisational research entity: the Institute for
and provide education and training, while aligning Societal Policy & Innovation Research (INSPIRE),
and reinforcing administrative support towards the which will be a research institute of UM’s School of
ambitions of the institute in outreach, impact and Business and Economics (SBE). INSPIRE will take over
partnerships. In short, to future-proof the structure all responsibilities, duties and privileges that are
of the institute. currently associated with MERIT in the legal
cooperation agreement between UM and UNU, and
As a first crucial step, we will distinguish activities at associated with MGSoG in the extended application
the overall UNU-MERIT level, and activities at the agreement. Within the INSPIRE Institute, there will be
interface of UNU-MERIT and Maastricht University two main components: the Research Units, and the
(UM). At UNU-MERIT level, we define activities in UNU-MERIT Graduate School.
terms of programmes; at UNU-MERIT/UM level, we
will bring all activities together in a new institute.
Interfacing for impact
At UNU-MERIT level, we will now have two At UNU-MERIT, our goal is to be recognised for
foundational programmes: i) on Comprehensive seminal transdisciplinary team-based research on
Innovation for Sustainable Development (CI4SD), and CI4SD based on our excellent disciplinary expertise.
ii) on Outreach & Engagement. The CI4SD We will strongly encourage research contributions to
programme will cover all new activities that we aim to the CI4SD themes – including on climate change, the
conduct under the new positioning of UNU-MERIT digital transformation, poverty and inequality, and the
(see next chapter). The Outreach & Engagement future of work. At the same time, we want to
programme will gather all activities on local and strengthen the UNU-MERIT ‘domain’ research base
global events, workshops, round tables, seminars, by enabling research staff to deepen and expand
policy labs and joint policy development. The latter their domain knowledge. This will take place in three
programme will be known as the ‘UNU-MERIT Hub’ – research units: Economics of Innovation, Public Policy
a physical space where staff will interact with students, & Governance of Innovation, and Computational
young people, entrepreneurs, policymakers, Innovation. Each research unit will be led by a Head
companies, NGOs and communities to work together of Unit, responsible for the budget of the research
on achieving the SDGs, both locally and globally. unit, career development of all unit staff, and ensuring
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 2 | Structure 11

New
Structure

Comprehensive Outreach &

Innovation Engagement
Programme Programme
(CI4SD) (Hub)

Institute for Societal Policy and Innovation Research

the unit’s contributions to the UNU-MERIT The UNU-MERIT Graduate School will be led by the
programmes, as well as its contributions to the Education Director, who will be responsible for the

Other Departments & Institutes

professional education and training programmes. school’s budget, operations and management.
UNU-MERIT Economics of
Research activities within UNU-MERIT are currently split All UM academic and support staff in UNU-MERIT Graduate School Innovation Other
into eight research themes that broadly cover our will be assigned to INSPIRE, and as such be fully Faculties
research interests. These and possibly other emerging integrated into SBE and UM on the basis of a single (Maastricht
themes can continue as bottom-up collaborative set of terms and conditions (which will vary, University)

initiatives among researchers, independent from the depending on the specific position). These terms and
Governance and Public Computational
organisational structure of the research units, or they conditions will be clearly communicated to current Policy of Innovation Innovation
can be reconstituted with other emerging themes. staff, as well as to any new hires. We will align the
MGSoG and MERIT administration and support
School of Business & Economics (SBE)
The new UNU-MERIT Graduate School will be services by integrating separate or parallel
responsible for the quality of the educational, training administrative structures and processes, with the
and PhD research programmes offered within UNU- goal of achieving greater administrative efficiency
MERIT, and will manage the student lifecycle from and effectiveness within the INSPIRE institute.
marketing, recruitment, admissions, registration, all
the way through awarding degrees, scoping The following figure shows the full new structure of
internships and alumni networking. The UNU-MERIT UNU-MERIT, including its linkages with SBE. As a
Graduate School will offer high-quality education and result, UNU-MERIT will strengthen its connection and
training to Master’s students, PhD candidates and collaboration with other institutes and departments
professionals. Master’s and PhD training programmes within SBE and UM, potentially bringing other
include research methodology, research integrity, relevant disciplinary perspectives to contribute to our
skills training and career development courses. understanding of CI4SD.
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 3 | Positioning 13

“Without innovation, we cannot meet

the challenges of our time… We need
to share ideas, push boundaries and
move faster. And we must harness the 3 | Positioning
opportunities brought by digital
As a major UNU institute, we are fully committed which disproportionally impact the poorest and most
technologies.” to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, vulnerable, are further threatening whatever
at the heart of which are the well-known 17 achievements had already been made.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs define
our collective global priorities, calling for action by The UN is therefore calling for renewed global actions
governments, business and civil society to end to accelerate progress in achieving the SDGs – and
poverty and ensure a life of dignity and explicitly by leveraging innovation. UNU-MERIT is
opportunity for all – while also considering the proud to join this call, to apply its world-class
finite resources of an increasingly fragile planet expertise in social, economic and technological
and the needs and rights of future generations. innovation to a common global effort to restart
progress on the SDGs. Through an ambitious and
Yet, with less than a decade to go, concerns are innovative research agenda, excellent education and
growing over the slow and patchy progress made in training, and effective knowledge mobilisation, we
pursuit of the SDGs. Worse still, these delays have plan to unlock the full potential of innovation to
been exacerbated by knock-on effects from the achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda.
recent pandemic: increasing global inequality,
stuttering economic growth, widening digital divides We will develop an ambitious institutional agenda
and weakening multilateralism. Moreover, the risks focused on innovation as a key driver for sustainable
from climate change and extreme weather events, development from an integrated, comprehensive
social-economic-technological perspective. Clearly,
societal policy innovations can either drive or hinder
technological innovation and accentuate or diminish
the economic effects, both positive and negative, of
technological innovation. Our ambition therefore is to
clarify the complex interactions and feedback loops
that intersperse the social, economic and
technological dimensions of innovation in society –
and to influence policies accordingly.

The pace of innovation and its ultimate impact on

achieving the SDGs is highly dependent on the
broader system in which innovation takes place. We
will develop a novel, integrated and holistic approach
to studying the drivers and impacts of social,
economic and technological innovation. This
approach will adopt a systemic perspective to identify
and understand the complexity of innovation and its
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 3 | Positioning 15

Actions
INVEST PROVIDE REINFORCE

impacts on achieving the SDGs. It will acknowledge policymakers, citizens and academic communities. in team-based partnerships opportunities for our positioning on CI4SD
the trade-offs that exist between the different goals of Through these collaborations, we will trailblaze a new to address challenges cooperation and dialogue
our research agenda by
innovation, and identify the emergent phenomena research agenda around the concept of CI4SD – an under the banner of to create bridges between
tackling pressing and
that appear through the interactions between the agenda that is multidisciplinary, academically Comprehensive Innovation policymakers, citizens and
emerging global
micro, meso and macro levels. rigorous, policy and societally relevant, and that has for Sustainable academic communities
challenges aimed at
significant potential for impact. Development (CI4SD)
opportunities to translate promoting inclusive
In combining our existing expertise on the
in CI4SD teams to advance science into policy and sustainable development
economics of innovation and technology, To implement the CI4SD agenda, we will develop a
research and develop practice, to increase
governance and public policy, along with tapping set of team-based research projects, gathering policy agendas aimed at
breakthrough ideas to societal impact and policy
into new expertise in the field of computational different perspectives from across the institute to achieving the 2030
address key global uptake of our research
innovation, our ambition is to make a decisive address various issues under the banner of CI4SD. Agenda and the post-2030
challenges
contribution to the 2030 agenda. We refer to this These projects will be developed through an open process
new positioning as Comprehensive Innovation for and competitive process, creating opportunities for in targeted and strategic
collaboration internally and
Sustainable Development (CI4SD). all to express their ideas and develop the approach partnerships to support
externally across different
and agenda to Comprehensive Innovation. At all collaboration and
disciplines through
stages of project development, we will organise exchange with societal and
Launching the CI4SD agenda strategic partnerships
extensive interactions with stakeholders at the local, policy stakeholders
During the period of this strategy, we will develop the national and global levels, sharing approaches and
CI4SD research agenda, and provide new output broadly in academic and policy circles. Already
opportunities for staff to collaborate internally while in spring 2021, we launched a first call for
further developing partnerships and networks comprehensive innovation teams, and we will
externally. We will seek crossovers with other continue to expand this team-based approach by
disciplines, cooperation and dialogue with introducing new opportunities to jointly fulfil our
stakeholders, and build bridges between ambitious mission.
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 4 | Research 17

We will inspire and empower research

leadership across the entire institute,
encouraging bottom-up research
agendas, providing a safe 4 | Research
environment that allows for
Our research focuses on pressing global demonstrate and validate a multidisciplinary, holistic
innovative, novel and radical ideas, challenges, including climate action, the digital and integrated approach to address the global

while facilitating collaboration across transformation, poverty and inequality, and

particularly their impact on human and economic
challenges for sustainable development.

the institute and with external sustainable development. Through our disciplinary
and multidisciplinary research, our ambition is to
The capacity to analyse diverse data sets with
powerful data-driven models and simulations can lead
partners. contribute to the academic debate and to societal to important new insights into the intricate and
policy and innovation solutions at all stages of the interwoven social, economic and technological
policy process: from the setting of a policy agenda aspects of Comprehensive Innovation for Sustainable
to the delivery and evaluation of public policy. In Development (see chapter above, ‘Positioning’). A
meeting these twin aims, we ensure that our new research line that we will develop within UNU-
research maintains the highest standards of MERIT will focus on the design, development and use
academic and scientific excellence and rigour, while of new data, modelling and simulation methods and
remaining policy relevant. techniques for improving our understanding of
comprehensive innovation – an area we refer to as
To achieve this ambition, we will maintain and further computational innovation. Data visualisation, social
strengthen our international research leadership in network analysis, complexity modelling, and social
UNU-MERIT’s core areas of expertise – in the simulation models such as system dynamics and
economics of innovation and technology, and in agent-based modelling are some of the key
governance and public policy – and continue to approaches in this emerging research area. We will
ensure a critical mass of research and staff in these explore the potential of these approaches for our
disciplinary areas. In addition, we will actively seek research agenda, and expand our expertise in those
out new synergies among those areas to develop, areas where we identify significant added value.
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 4 | Research 19

Actions
Our research across the different lines within UNU-MERIT’s comprehensive innovation
ambitions. This development of academic leadership
areas of expertise within the
will be inclusive, with researchers at all levels of
institute, our active pursuit of seniority encouraged to develop these skills for the
novel research synergies, and the further benefit of the institute’s research agenda as
well as for achieving personal ambitions and career
creation of a computational goals. In these efforts, we will emphasise a collegial
foundation in the institute, puts approach – via team-based working – in line with the
UNU-MERIT in a unique position broader strategic aim of further integrating the
institute’s diverse research areas.
to achieve global leadership in a INVEST PROVIDE REINFORCE
new and ambitious research To fund our research ambitions, we will continue to
support a broad and diversified approach to
agenda on social, economic and
financing. We will provide research facilitation support
technological innovation. for individuals and research groups applying for
grants through major national funding streams, in recruiting early-career an open approach to the research units to
including through the Netherlands Organisation for and established researchers staff recruitment that develop and implement
Bridging research to policy
Scientific Research (NWO), as well as through the in the core areas of research brings in leading or disciplinary research in the
We view academic and societally relevant research as Horizon Europe programme. We will continue to of the institute, to reach or promising researchers, core areas of the institute,
complementary, and as an institute we will continue support researchers seeking out funding through maintain a critical mass in while encouraging and providing a space for
to act as a bridge between research and policy. contract research and consultancy activities with the research units ensuring diversity among deepening and
Academic research and publishing remain important partners within the UN system and beyond, our research staff broadening existing
in recruiting UN staff
activities, therefore, providing academic validity to leveraging these efforts to develop long-term research areas, and for
(both P and PSA profiles) to an environment conducive
the societally and policy relevant work being strategic partnerships. To achieve these aims we will approaching disciplinary
support and strengthen the to academic freedom and
undertaken in the institute. We will also continue to develop and harness our research networks, leading research from different
UNU-MERIT comprehensive create opportunities for
pursue broader engagement and communication with ambitious efforts on joint research collaborations and perspectives
innovation agenda and researchers to develop and
diverse stakeholders, including through innovative projects. By developing partnerships with funding
interact with the research show research leadership research leadership in its
communication means and channels. The agencies, our ambition is to further secure additional
units within the broad areas of manifold forms through
development of the ‘UNU-MERIT Hub’ (see chapter structural funding to support existing research and to
the institute our rewards and
below, ‘Impact’) will provide an important new means help develop new research lines. While remaining in seed funding for
recognition programme
of generating stakeholder engagement and responsive to the priorities of external funders, we will novel and promising, but incentives for the
communicating our research findings. also mobilise internal funding to provide seed and also risky and uncertain, constant development existing collaborations with
other funding to initiatives that fall under the banner research proposals that of our research agenda research institutes and
We will inspire and empower research leadership of Comprehensive Innovation for Sustainable strengthen our positioning through new initiatives societal stakeholders, while
across the entire institute, encouraging bottom-up Development or that promote novel and radical on comprehensive identifying and developing
research agendas, providing a safe environment that agendas with longer-term potential. institutional support for
innovation new strategic research
allows for innovative, novel and radical ideas, while researchers engaging in
partners, particularly in the
facilitating collaboration across the institute and with Through our collaboration with Maastricht University, in securing structural donor funding proposals and
Global South
external partners. Research leadership will be we also have strong roots locally as well as nationally. funding for sustaining our contract research
developed through bottom-up initiatives that allow us We will strengthen the links with the School of overall research agenda showcasing our research
structural support for open
to build and develop our current and future Business and Economics, by exploring collaborative and connecting
access publications and
disciplinary research and our Comprehensive research opportunities with SBE faculty from all researchers with
making our data findable,
Innovation for Sustainable Development agenda. The departments, including through joint staff policymakers and diverse
accessible, interoperable
institute will provide researchers with the time, space appointments. We will also pursue research stakeholders through the
and reusable (FAIR)
and opportunities needed for thought leadership, collaborations with other faculties and institutes, such UNU-MERIT Hub
curiosity-driven research agendas and experimentation as the Data Science Institute, in areas that can help
that provide for the development of novel research strengthen or expand our research portfolio.
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 5 | Education 21

“Education is a human right with

immense power to transform. On its
foundation rest the cornerstones of
freedom, democracy and sustainable 5 | Education
human development.”
i. Formal Education
Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan UNU-MERIT aims to educate the next generation method is based on ensuring a solid methodological
of research leaders and policymakers by providing foundation, where students and researchers are able
them with the right knowledge and transferable to critically apply both quantitative and qualitative
skills to make a difference in the world and to help skills for evidence-based policy and research
them tackle both current and future sustainability analysis.
challenges. We want to attract talented students
who are looking to be part of a vibrant community We will enhance our provision of established
where learning is inspired by an ambitious research instruction and innovative methods, adapted to
agenda and led by world-class teaching staff. different contexts. Core to our established
instruction is problem-based learning, where
Our ambition is to build on our tradition of students learn about a subject through the
educational excellence to create transformative experience of solving an open-ended problem. That
outcomes for a diverse population of international is then combined with project-based and action
students in public policy, innovation and societal learning, where students gain knowledge and skills
impact. Our education and training programmes by engaging and working collaboratively for a
address global challenges, and utilise the classroom period of time to investigate and debate real-life
environment to come up with innovative solutions to policy questions and complex case studies. We will
those challenges. We will continue to leverage our also introduce or expand innovative approaches
rich network of policymakers, practitioners and such as Learning Studios, where students acquire a
experts from the fields of public policy, governance deeper knowledge through active exploration of
and innovation to work with students on concrete real-world challenges in controlled and pre-
policy cases from the classroom environment. We constructed lab settings, as well as game and
further commit to inclusion and diversity through simulation-based Policy Labs where students apply
direct engagement with various global stakeholders, theory to practice, for example during public policy
particularly in pursuit of the Sustainable ‘simulation’ games where they present findings in a
Development Goals. conference setting.

We will continue to use and create new, open and Based on the analysis of the MPP programme
multidisciplinary learning spaces where students and conducted in the first phase of the strategy process,
researchers can collaborate in a dynamic, inspiring we will develop the scenarios presented on the
and inclusive atmosphere. Our teaching method various specialisations and decide on the best course
revolves around creating environments where to take. We will look into the needs and feasibility of
students take ownership of their own learning. We diversifying our Master’s programme, and explore
focus on the specific needs of the students, and we opportunities for joint programmes with the School of
emphasise each student’s unique skills and abilities Business and Education and other faculties of
throughout their learning journey. Our teaching Maastricht University.
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 5 | Education 23

We will unite our two PhD programmes, the full-time

‘IEGD’ and the part-time ‘GPAC²’, into a single
UNU-MERIT PhD programme, in which the full-time
and part-time options continue to exist but fall under
the same identity. We will establish a sound and
Actions
sustainable financial basis for the programme,
increase and diversify our supervision of PhD
candidates, and continue to attract a majority of our
PhD candidates from the Global South. We will
explicitly align all calls for new candidates to the INVEST PROVIDE REINFORCE
research activities of the institute, while synchronising
ii. Capacity Development
the programme cycles of the full-time and part-time Beyond the formal educational opportunities UNU-
options to maximise interactions between the two MERIT currently offers, we also have the ambition to
groups. We will draft a ‘Personal Development Plan’ train individuals and organisations to strengthen and
for each PhD candidate and their team of supervisors maintain their capabilities in setting and achieving in the new UNU-MERIT institutional support for a multicultural and
and promotors within six months of the start of each their own development objectives. This training is Graduate School to establishing an alumni inclusive environment
PhD journey, in which all parties agree to specific provided through our capacity development provide a solid and office where students can grow
commitments on supervision time and effort, training programmes, such as UNU-MERIT’s DEIP programme, effective structure for all personally and
institutional support and
needs and deliverables needed to successfully which are particularly relevant for participants from our formal education academically
incentives for PhD
complete the PhD programme within four years. The and in the Global South. By training policymakers and programmes and capacity
candidates, supervisors linkage and cross-
training programme offered to PhD candidates will be practitioners, we help influence and impact how they development initiatives
and promotors in a fertilisation opportunities
revised, leading to a portfolio of courses available design and implement their policies on the ground.
in new active learning renewed and integrated among education
in-house or globally. Supervisors and promotors will As such, our capacity development programmes
experiences by enhancing UNU-MERIT PhD programmes, and among
be strongly encouraged to involve PhD candidates in accelerate our influence and impact in the process of
the opportunities of programme students and researchers
their research agenda, for instance through joint and promoting and implementing sustainable
interactions between
cost-sharing projects with UN agencies or other development. Capacity development programmes personal development our presence in the Global
policymakers, UN partners
knowledge partners. We will also explore joint PhD also benefit UNU-MERIT in at least three ways: first, plans for all PhD South in the process of
and students in the UNU-
degrees with other universities and institutes. they can be a source of sustainable funding; second, candidates with clearly promoting and
MERIT Hub through
they serve as a source of knowledge and up-to-date defined agreements with implementing equal
Learning Studios and
information on developments locally and globally; the supervisory team learning opportunities for
Policy Labs
and third, they support networking and broadening all
our contacts to bridge academia, the UN system and in establishing a Capacity
policymakers. partnerships for delivering
Development Office with a
education through our
dedicated capacity
UNU-MERIT commits to establishing a strong capacity alumni network and
development manager,
development arm within the institute. We want to be through collaboration with
overseeing all capacity
recognised as the leading institution for capacity other research institutes
programmes and
development within the framework of Comprehensive and relevant societal
connecting with the
Innovation for Sustainable Development, and stakeholders
research units
become known as a reputable training centre of the
UN and the key player that UN agencies come to for in providing a sustainable
training in our research areas. To realise these financial basis for the
ambitions, we will establish a Capacity Development integrated and renewed
Office within UNU-MERIT headed by a full-time PhD programme, including
Capacity Development Manager responsible for an increase in the PhD
overseeing relevant programmes across the institute candidate stipend
and connecting with the research units.
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 6 | Impact 25

We will take a leading role in

developing fair research partnerships
with the Global South as a means of
sharing knowledge, building up 6 | Impact
capabilities and delivering the
UNU-MERIT engages with society to inform our Rarely has the need for independent policy research
institute’s contributions and solutions research and increase its impact, working with been greater than in today’s global political climate.

to the pressing problems faced by stakeholders on new approaches to global

challenges. In so doing, we aim to make a
As a knowledge partner in the UN system, with a
long-standing and strong partnership with Maastricht

developing countries. demonstrable contribution to societies and

economies by supporting individuals, organisations
University, UNU-MERIT is uniquely placed to address
this need by providing actionable policy
and countries – as well as our shared environment. recommendations grounded in our academic
research. We will further increase our collaboration
Through our academic partnerships, we aim to with policy actors to ensure that our research is solidly
explore complementary approaches and embedded in policy. Simultaneously, this intensified
perspectives, while amplifying shared disciplinary cooperation means that policy becomes an integral
perspectives and actively promoting knowledge component of our programmes, integrating policy
exchange through education and capacity building considerations in the design and delivery of research
programmes. In our partnerships with UN and other and capacity development activities. Through
policymakers, we aim to work as equals in addressing investing in our research communication and capacity
global societal challenges, setting policy agendas, development, we aim to make our work more
using our joint convening power for maximum policy accessible to policymakers at various levels. Building
impact. In parallel, by developing partnerships with on our ambition for a multidisciplinary and team-
funding agencies, we will jointly develop exciting and based approach to working internally, we further
impactful research agendas on pressing global value external collaboration as a means of providing
challenges. We strive therefore to translate our complementary insights, advancing knowledge and
research into evidence-based policy disseminating research findings, emphasising that our
recommendations, delivered to those who can drive reach, impact and visibility will be far greater through
positive change, while ensuring that policy also collaboration than isolation.
‘works’ for the general public.
Through the ‘UNU-MERIT Hub’, we will provide
Our approach to strategic partnerships will remain resources and infrastructure to support our staff and
rooted in the Sustainable Development Goals, students to deliver effective societal and policy
particularly SDG#17 – Partnerships for the Goals. engagement. The Hub will serve as the institute’s
Through strategic partnerships, we will work together incubator for initiating and developing interactive
with various actors on the achievement of the 2030 collaboration with stakeholders involved in
Agenda. In addition, through our growing convening sustainable development challenges. We will use the
power, we will foster collaboration between Hub to develop and test novel approaches for
international policy actors and academia to co-create conducting action research in new Learning Studios
research and training opportunities to tackle the most and Policy Labs. We will also develop new initiatives
pressing and complex challenges. on community-based and citizen research in the Hub,
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 6 | Impact 27

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INVEST PROVIDE REINFORCE

in close collaboration with related initiatives at We will also strengthen our engagement with UN in the UNU-MERIT Hub as resources and support to our role in developing
Maastricht University and the city of Maastricht. In Country Teams, development agencies, financial the institute’s incubator for staff to engage in societal research partnerships with
leveraging our position as a neutral knowledge institutions and civil society to explore how our work initiating and developing and policy engagement the Global South as a
broker, we will continue to provide a platform for supports national, regional and municipal efforts interactive collaboration activities, training on means of sharing
policymakers and academics to drive sustainable towards achieving the 2030 Agenda. We will with local, regional and community-engaged knowledge, building up
development through comprehensive innovation (see develop an institutional strategy to successfully global stakeholders research, policy and capabilities and delivering
chapter above, ‘Positioning’). We will therefore engage with stakeholders and identify opportunities societal engagement, and the institute’s contributions
in an impact officer, who
actively contribute to the global debate on the for collaboration and partnerships. Although our research communication and solutions
will be responsible for
post-2030 development processes. research agenda and education opportunities have a support
developing and our active participation in
global scope, with a particular emphasis on the
implementing our societal recognition for staff to UN processes around the
Activities in the Hub will simultaneously provide a Global South, we will increase our local engagement
and policy engagement engage in societal and world (including our closest
platform for increasing our global engagement with a by supporting our host city, region and country in
strategy policy engagement UN partners in Brussels) to
particular focus on the Global South through targeted their work towards achieving sustainable
activities as part of their ensure that our research
and strategic collaborations, as well as building on development. in a coherent partnership
career development track agenda is aligned with UN
current flagship initiatives such as SITE4Society. We approach to identify and
priorities, and make better
will further explore the development of a global We will nurture our existing network of partners, while execute strategic opportunities for
use of our convening power
network of ‘Policy Labs’ from the foundation we are seeking out opportunities to expand and opportunities for community-based and
as a UN organisation for
building in Maastricht. The Hub will therefore serve as institutionalise these networks. To reinforce our role in developing mutually citizen research in the Hub
maximising our policy
a unique platform for experimentation and innovative the UN system and beyond, we will build a coherent beneficial relationships
impact
research on societal and policy challenges, while also partnership approach to identify strategic with academic partners,
fostering knowledge exchange locally and globally opportunities for developing mutually beneficial policy institutes and our relationship with the
through action research and training. relationships. To raise the visibility and scope of our policymakers, and funding city of Maastricht, the
research, and ensure that we are in a position to agencies province of Limburg and
We confirm our commitment to increase collaboration identify and respond to future global challenges the Dutch government to
with international agencies, funds and programmes through our research activities, this partnership in our research
develop new partnerships
across the UN system to respond better to their approach will prioritise academic partners, policy communication and
in research, education and
policy needs. Our institute will also continue to institutes and policymakers, and funding agencies. capacity development to
training
collaborate with the EU to foster North-South and Crucially, we will take a leading role in developing fair increase the accessibility
South-South Cooperation. Through training initiatives research partnerships with the Global South as a of our work to
and facilitating dialogue, we will further strengthen means of sharing knowledge, building up capabilities policymakers
our support towards developing countries in sharing and delivering the institute’s contributions and
knowledge, skills, expertise and resources to meet solutions to the pressing problems faced by
their development goals through concerted efforts. developing countries.
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 7 | Outreach 29

We will increase visibility in the media

through long-term partnerships, via
The Conversation and newsrooms
across the Global South – to amplify 7 | Outreach
our visibility and make our work both
We consider communication and outreach an
future-facing and globally relevant. integral part of research, education and knowledge
mobilisation. Through our communication and
outreach efforts, we aim to increase our
involvement – and influence – at all levels by
directly connecting with our major audiences.
Priority targets include donors and partners (the
UN, EU, governments, development banks and
research networks), as well as students, civil
society, media, and our unique ‘dual-umbrella’
hosts at Maastricht University and UNU. In future
interactions with key audiences, we aim to
highlight the quality, impact and societal value of
our work, while demonstrating inclusivity by
avoiding jargon and actively engaging with
minority and vulnerable groups.

Our communication and outreach efforts will be

supported by a clear and consistent narrative, in line
with our ambition to be a world-class research and
training institute on Comprehensive Innovation for
Sustainable Development (see chapter above,
‘Positioning’). Researchers and PhD candidates, as
well as selected Master’s students are invited to
showcase their work in a variety of ways on our
website and social media platforms. We will continue
to offer these channels, but will do so in a more
coherent and streamlined way, in line with our focus
on Comprehensive Innovation for Sustainable
Development.

While UNU-MERIT researchers continue to have

primary responsibility for reporting and sharing their
academic publications, we aim to highlight their
output more prominently across our channels. We will
improve the accessibility and discoverability of our
research data and findings, including via open data
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 7 | Outreach 31

repositories and open-access publications. We will

create incentives for staff to engage in these
activities, by for example providing training,
guidelines and communication assets. To improve the
accessibility of our publications, we will share style

Actions
and branding guidelines during annual workshops.
Overall, by focusing on more targeted formats,
supported by visually appealing media and
infographics, we aim to create a more enabling
environment for research uptake.

Visible near and far

Events are a powerful means to build our networks
and impact. We will continue to host research
seminars but will now increasingly focus on policy INVEST PROVIDE REINFORCE
workshops, delivered in hybrid formats to ensure a
global audience. We will convene high-level events
at the UNU-MERIT Hub in Maastricht (see chapter
above, ‘Impact’), Brussels and The Hague, as well as
in UN cities in the Global South. Senior officials from
in reinforcing the guidance and training for the internal capacity of
the UN, EU and other international bodies will be communications team with all staff on research staff and students to write
invited to join our activities and provide insights and an Events & Networking communication and uptake for non-academic
training for our staff, students and partners. Through Officer, working mainly on audiences, to use social
these events, we will provide a platform for targeted formats and
those areas but also media more effectively and
stakeholders at various levels to explore how channels, supported by
supporting the team across to represent the institute
comprehensive innovation can truly promote visually appealing media
the spectrum of activities more consistently
sustainable development. and infographics
including editorial, media
dialogues between
relations and work on the training on pressing and
We will assume a leadership role in research uptake academics and
upcoming global UNU emerging policy
through various levels and networks. We will policymakers to facilitate
website challenges by hosting
coordinate more closely with partners across knowledge exchange in
sustainable development
Maastricht University and the UN system: co-designing in the creation of new policy and practice
policymakers
campaigns and promoting the work of staff, students communication assets
engagement in policy
and partners. Beyond our internal training and local tailored to reach, influence platforms for stakeholders
debates to contribute to
events, we will further develop external initiatives, and ‘speak the language’ at different levels and
pressing and emerging
including our UNESCO-sponsored workshop series, of all target audiences contexts to discuss how
policy challenges and help
which combines network and capacity building for comprehensive innovation
in the findability and shape agendas
researchers, media and policy officials worldwide. In can promote sustainable
accessibility of data and
parallel, we will increase visibility in the media through development the translation of research
publications resulting from
long-term partnerships, via The Conversation and findings, wherever
our research
newsrooms across the Global South – to amplify our possible, into policy briefs
visibility and make our work both future-facing and in hybrid and online
our engagement locally
globally relevant. We aim to increase our outreach via formats to ensure our
with Maastricht University
multiple languages, not just English as the main UN events are accessible to
and globally with UNU
working language, but also French for West Africa, audiences worldwide
Spanish for Latin America, and Dutch for our host
government and local audiences.
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 8 | Well-being 33

By providing individual staff and

teams with the freedom, space and
security to experiment and innovate,
we also accept the possibility of 8 | Well-being
failure, which we will embrace as a
UNU-MERIT is committed to promoting a healthy valued in pursuing their intellectual curiosity, fulfilling
learning opportunity and a setting and high-quality working environment for all active their potential and maximising the impact of their

from which we can grow and develop, members of our community and staff, as well as
temporary members such as PhD candidates,
research in diverse ways.

both individually and as an institute. visiting researchers and professorial fellows. We

will foster an inclusive and transparent
In recruiting new talent, we aspire to be the destination
of choice for the best researchers in our core areas of
environment based on the core values of inclusivity research, providing a stimulating environment for those
and freedom from discrimination, freedom of who want to develop an exciting research agenda in
thought and expression. these areas based upon curiosity and disciplinary
expertise. We further seek to recruit outstanding
We are committed to providing a safe and inclusive researchers who can connect with other fields – both
workplace, which adheres to the principles of the UN internally and externally – in developing
Charter, while for their part our staff members respect Comprehensive Innovation for Sustainable
the UNU Personnel Policy and the Maastricht Development, and who can develop the reputation of
University Human Resources Policy. the institute in this multidisciplinary endeavour. To do
this, we will identify individuals with strong disciplinary
Overall, the institute treats all staff members fairly and profiles and potential that are able to link the academic
equally, irrespective of contract type. We will establish and policy worlds, address major societal challenges
a career development programme, thus changing the through their research, and inspire others in a collegial
way we recognise and reward talent in line with and collaborative manner. Our recruitment policy will
recent initiatives led by Maastricht University. Our acknowledge our privileged position as an institute of
ambition is to provide clear guidance on how our staff the United Nations University. We will therefore seek to
can advance their careers within the institute, and attract, retain and nurture talented researchers from
provide support for temporary staff to prepare for the around the world – particularly from the Global South
next phase in their career journey. – to ensure a diverse intellectual community. Through
our recruitment we aim to promote diversity and
We will provide early-career research staff with the inclusion in our staff, encouraging all qualified
support to build up their career paths, as well as a individuals to apply to join our institute irrespective of
clear onward trajectory for established researchers. gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds,
We will create opportunities for early-career including persons with disabilities.
researchers to maximise the impact of their research
on policy and practice, providing opportunities and UNU-MERIT encourages a team-based approach
incentives to take leadership roles through both throughout the institute, in which multidisciplinary
disciplinary research areas and the multidisciplinary teams focus on specific research agendas under the
Comprehensive Innovation for Sustainable banner of Comprehensive Innovation for Sustainable
Development agenda. It is also our ambition to Development. We will continue to advocate for, invest
further strengthen a culture in which researchers feel in and develop this pluralistic approach to research.
UNU-MERIT Strategic Plan, 2021 – 2025 Chapter 8 | Well-being 35

Actions
INVEST PROVIDE REINFORCE

in a well-being officer and inclusive and transparent our recruitment policy to

team to monitor and decision-making and attract, retain and nurture
strengthen well-being and feedback processes at talented staff from around
the sense of community in institutional and team the world – including from
We will acknowledge, celebrate and reward success is committed to equity and accountability, and values UNU-MERIT through levels the Global South – to
at an organisational, team and individual level. By academic and societal benefits that embrace various social activities and ensure a diverse
an environment where
providing individual staff and teams with the freedom, inclusivity and diversity. We are further committed to other initiatives intellectual community
students and staff of all
space and security to experiment and innovate, we achieving gender parity across all levels as an in increasing access to backgrounds can a culture in which all
also accept the possibility of failure, which we will essential step for a diverse and inclusive organisation. available support collaboratively work and UNU-MERIT members feel
embrace as a learning opportunity and a setting from Overall, we aim for an increased representation from structures at Maastricht interact with each other in valued for their
which we can grow and develop, both individually the Global South amongst our students and staff. University and UNU a safe space of inclusivity, contributions to the
and as an institute. Our staff can expect support and compassion and mutual institute
investment in developing research ideas and agendas COVID-19 has created stressful times for all of us at in a new career
respect
that are promising and novel, but with uncertain UNU-MERIT, but also highlighted our individual and development programme our efforts to
outcomes. collective resilience. Simultaneously, it showed us the and a new approach to institutional support for acknowledge, celebrate
importance of increasing access to available support recognition and reward for early-career research staff and reward success at an
Diversity and inclusivity are instrumental for UNU- structures (in particular within UNU and UM) to all staff members to build up their career organisational, team and
MERIT to achieve success and fulfil its mission. We empower our staff with the right tools and knowledge paths, and for a clear individual level
in providing a professional
will champion diversity by promoting and nurturing to cultivate their well-being and build their resilience. trajectory for career
development programme a team-based approach
an inclusive working environment. We strive for an We will appoint a well-being officer and team who will progression for more
with coaching and spirit throughout
institute where students and staff of all backgrounds monitor and take action to strengthen and sustain the established staff member
opportunities for all at UNU-MERIT that
can collaboratively work and interact with each other sense of community within our institution. COVID-19
UNU-MERIT encourages collective
in a safe space of inclusivity, compassion and mutual has also offered opportunities for adopting a hybrid
ambition as well as
respect. As a UNU institute, we will tackle future working environment, including by supporting our in flexible working and
individual ownership and
challenges in an inclusive manner that removes work remotely. We will further develop plans to meeting spaces in the
empowerment
barriers, builds bridges and promotes and values enable more flexible working spaces, and to create UNU-MERIT building
diversity. We aim to go well beyond compliance and more shared working and meeting spaces throughout
observance, to proactively foster an environment that the building.
UNU-MERIT
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