development

Education during the COVID-19 crisis: Opportunities and constraints of using EdTech in low-income countries

During this time of crisis, education will not be business-as-usual, and EdTech alone cannot close the learning gap. It will be dedicated teachers and resilient educators who will ensure learning doesn’t stop — but they could be helped by the right EdTech tools

Education during the COVID-19 crisis: Opportunities and constraints of using EdTech in low-income countries Read More »

Sensemaking and portfolios – two important concepts when facing wicked and complex problems

In 2013, Richard Hummelbrunner and Harry Jones asked: “How can policy makers, managers and practitioners best plan in the face of complexity?” Seven years later the search for answers to that question continues through different initiatives and programmes. For example, the Doing Development Differently Manifesto was published at the end of 2014. Matt Andrews and

Sensemaking and portfolios – two important concepts when facing wicked and complex problems Read More »

Policymaking by androids?

Erica was born in 2016. The day she was born she was already 23 years old. That is because Erica is an android. The most advanced humanoid or android to date developed through a collaboration between Osaka and Kyoto universities, and the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR). Prof. Hiroshi Ishiguro of Osaka University’s Intelligent Robotics Laboratory

Policymaking by androids? Read More »

The evidence on Climate Change is overwhelming, but ….

UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has published its latest report. The authors of the landmark report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said urgent and unprecedented changes are needed to reach the target, which is affordable and feasible although it lies at the most ambitious end of the Paris agreement pledge to keep temperatures

The evidence on Climate Change is overwhelming, but …. Read More »

Building state capability for evidence-informed policymaking in Albania: In conversation with Abi Dodbiba

Growing up in Italy during the 1970s and 1980s, I remember Albania being geographically very close, just 150 kilometres across the sea from the harbour city of Brindisi. At the same time, closed and isolated by its communist regime, it seemed very far away. Many fleeing Albanians used small boats for the dangerous crossing to

Building state capability for evidence-informed policymaking in Albania: In conversation with Abi Dodbiba Read More »

Adaptive programming at scale: a discussion at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

I was in Helsinki last week for a presentation and discussion at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. This was part of the yearly Studia Generalia, a series of seminars organised by the Ministry and the Finnish Society for Development Research where researchers have the opportunity to meet staff of the Ministry and discuss various aspects

Adaptive programming at scale: a discussion at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland Read More »