NADEL newsletter September 2018

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Dear NADEL friends,

Linking research with practice for more effective development policies is a main goal of NADEL. In 2018, we came one step closer towards achieving our goal. Our team has organized three conferences bringing researchers and practitioners together, conducted a study on the use of research evidence in practice, and we are currently supporting development practitioners in their efforts to make use of research findings in policy making. Most importantly, we had the pleasure of mentoring another cohort of MAS students on their path to becoming practitioners. Unfortunately, one great practitioner and researcher left NADEL in 2018 for his retirement, Rudolf Batliner. Over the last 4 years Rudolf greatly supported me as program coordinator and I will certainly miss his knowledge, experience, enthusiasm and most of all his wonderful sense of humor. We wish Rudolf all the best with his (we are sure: many) plans for his non-professional work life.

For the NADEL team,
Isabel Günther
Professor of Development Economics
ETH NADEL Center for Development and Cooperation

Contents

•	NADEL students
•	Rudolf Batliner
•	Evidence at SDC
•	Impact Award
•	Swiss Development Economists
•	NADEL Events


Outgoing students 2018
After successful completion of their 10 months on-the-job training, spanning several countries, the MAS D&C students (2016-2018) returned this year for the final spring semester and graduation at ETH. Impressions from working and learning in Guatemala, Albania, Tanzania and Cambodia in 2017 can be found here. In the meantime, many MAS D&C students have started to work with development organizations. Some of the students have returned to where they conducted their on-the-job training, now as regular employees. We look forward to welcoming a new cohort of MAS students in September.


Also outgoing: Rudolf Batliner
At the end of the spring semester, Rudolf Batliner retired. During his eight years at Nadel, Rudolf made important contributions to further develop both the MAS and CAS Development and Cooperation study programs and showed great leadership during the last four years as NADEL program coordinator. Students enjoyed Rudolf’s vivid and creative way of teaching and benefitted a lot from his vast experience in development cooperation, where he had acted both as project manager and leader of a funding agency. Rudolf will also be missed by his colleagues at NADEL who greatly appreciated his energy and support. Thanks Rudolf for being part of the NADEL team!


Evidence study for SDC
Working in partnership with the SDC, we conducted an analysis of the role that research evidence and impact evaluations play in the work of the agency. Learning from studies on aid effectiveness can accelerate the discovery of impactful interventions, improve cost-effectiveness, and ultimately strengthen the impact of the agency as a whole. Through our study, we found that SDC is highly committed to using research evidence, but that progress can made in incentivizing evidence use for decision-making. The hope is that this first, pioneering study will inspire other organizations to review and strengthen their own use of research evidence.


Winners of the impact study award 2017
To inspire Swiss NGOs to learn from and use impact evaluations in their work, NADEL together with SDC launched – for the second time - an impact award. Based on a call for proposals, two NGOs, Consciente and Schweizerische Rote Kreuz (SRK), were selected to receive funding to conduct an impact evaluation of one of their projects. Consciente will analyze the impact of a Computer Assisted Learning Project in El Salvador whilst SRK will examine the impact of a disaster risk management program in Honduras. We are looking forward to seeing these studies being implemented over the next two years.


The Development Economics Network Switzerland
The Development Economics Network Switzerland (DENS) was initiated last year by five researchers at the ETH Zürich, University of Fribourg, University of St. Gallen, the University of Zürich, and the Graduate Institute, Geneva. DENS aims to strengthen the links between development economists at various Swiss universities, increase communication between researchers and policy makers and support young development economists. DENS will also host an annual scientific conference, the next which will take place at the Graduate Institute, Geneva on the 4th and 5th of September.


NADEL events 2018
In March, NADEL and Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation organized a panel discussion, titled the “Paris Agreement: Perspectives from Least Developed Countries.” Dr. Saleemul Huq, Director of the International Centre for Climate Change & Development was invited as keynote speaker. In May, we hosted the first European regional meeting of the Global Association Master`s in Development Practice. Students and faculty from six European universities discussed how learning for Sustainable Development can be further strengthened. In June, NADEL and the University of Zürich organized the annual conference of the Entwicklungsökonomischer Ausschuss with keynote speakers Rohini Pande (Harvard University) and James Robinson (University of Chicago).

NADEL in the Social Media

Contact

NADEL - Center for Development and Cooperation
Clausiusstrasse 37
8092 Zurich
Switzerland

+41 44 632 42 40

info@nadel.ethz.ch