UNU-MERIT works with partners around the world to address pressing challenges in sustainable development. Our projects connect research with policy and practice. They draw on expertise in innovation, economics, governance and public policy to produce evidence that supports better decision-making and sustainable development.
Recent Projects
Project
Circular Economy SYSCHEMIQ - Plastic recycling: European Horizon Green Deal Programme
SYSCHEMIQ demonstrates systemic solutions for the territorial deployment of the circular economy in the Trilateral Chemical Region with a focus on plastic waste streams and quality for recycling.
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Horizon Europe Measuring Irregular Migration and Related Policies Project (MIrreM)
MIrreM examines estimates and statistical indicators on the irregular migrant population in Europe, including the regularisation of migrants.
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Regional Inclusive Biobased Entrepreneurship Solutions
The EU-funded RIBES project aims to develop governance and business models to propel these regions from stagnation to a circular economy, fostering innovation, sustainability, and rural development.
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Causal Machine Learning for policy evaluation
Develops a causal machine learning framework to evaluate how public policies influence countries’ export specialization
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Fostering Academia - Public Authorities cooperation for value creation
Mapping best practices and providing guidance for more effective knowledge uptake for policy making.
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Empirical Analysis on innovation capabilities and industrial dynamics in European rural areas
Develops new data-driven measures of innovation capabilities in European rural areas by combining firm, skills, patent, and regional data
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Economic Research Forum (ERF): Advancing Evidence on Social Protection and Labour Markets in the MENA Region (2022–Present)
This programme strengthens the evidence base for social protection, labour markets, informality and inequality across the MENA Region.
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Development of a De Jure Indicator on Recruitment Fees and Related Costs Complementary to SDG Indicator 10.7.1
Develops a de jure indicator on recruitment fees and costs to complement SDG indicator 10.7.1, which measures the recruitment costs borne by workers.
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Access to education and right to participate of children with disability
This interdisciplinary research project aims to understand how access to education can foster the right of children with disabilities to participate.
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Inequality and Innovation
This project analyses and compares how inequality of outcomes and inequality of opportunities shape innovation through effects on people's creativity.
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Inequality and the (Climate) Preference–Behavior Gap
This project investigates whether and through which mechanisms inequality shapes preferences for climate policies and climate behavior.
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Social norms, female labour force participation and marriage decisions in Jordan
Our study in Amman looks beyond economics to the social norms shaping women's choices.
Past Projects
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Global Challenges & Human Wellbeing
The project explores the multifaceted impacts of global challenges on well-being in high income economic and democratic countries.
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Foresight Review on Nature Positive Engineering
Together with a number of partners, and with Lloyd’s Register Foundation, we are developing a new Foresight Review on Nature Positive Engineering, aimed at exploring how engineering practices can protect, restore, and enhance natural ecosystems.
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COST Action COST CliMent – Climate Change Impants on Mental Health in Europe
This COST European Action aims to maintain its individual and societal well-being amidst the challenges posed by climate change.
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InnovationGUIDE - Circular Economy Rural Innovation Ecosystem
Working with multi-stakeholders to develop a path and innovation guidance tool to promote rural innovation ecosystems in NL, Malta, Spain and Türkyie.
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FUTURESILIENCE - EU Horizon Programme: Creating FUTUre societal RESILIENCE through innovative, science-based co-creation labs
Aims to strengthen European economic and social resilience through an enhanced ability to quickly respond to future crises.
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Quantitative Evidence for R&I Policy
Provides indicators to supplement official statistics in monitoring research and innovation activities and their outputs across all EU Member States.
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Road infrastructure, economic development and forest loss in the Republic of the Congo
This paper studies the impact of large-scale road construction on economic development and forest loss in the Republic of the Congo.
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Global, Regional, and National Trends in International Solidarity to Finance Social Protection
The project examined how international development finance supports the expansion of social protection systems across low- and middle-income countries
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Social Dialogue and Social Protection: Comparative International Case Studies
Investigated how social dialogue contributes to design, implementation and reform of social protection systems across diverse institutional contexts
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Global Pluralism Monitor: Country Reviews in the MENA Region
This project contributes to the Global Pluralism Monitor through the review and assessment of country reports across the Middle East and North Africa.
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From crisis to recovery: Tracing the welfare effects of social assistance programmes in Jordan
Traces the welfare effects of Jordan's Takaful and Unified Cash Transfer (UCT) programmes.
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The changing geography of the international diffusion of technological knowledge
Examines the evolving geography of international technological knowledge diffusion over the last four decades using multiple patent-based indicators.