Connecting Research, Education and Policy Engagement
UNU Resource Nexus and the German-Mongolian Institute for Resources and Technology (GMIT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration on sustainable resource management, research and innovation, education, and evidence-based policymaking.
The MoU was signed today in the presence of the President of Mongolia during his visit to Germany, highlighting the shared interest in strengthening scientific and academic cooperation between Germany and Mongolia.
Key Areas of the Collaboration
The partnership establishes a framework for collaboration across three key areas:
- Research and innovation: Advancing work on sustainable resource management and responsible mining, mine closure and rehabilitation, landscape restoration, climate resilience, integrated water-energy-land-materials management, and circular resource use.
- Education and capacity development: Expanding opportunities for academic collaboration, guest lectures, e-learning, practice-oriented engineering education, field-based student research, master's theses, doctoral co-supervision, visiting scholars and internships.
- Outreach, advocacy and impact: Developing joint publications, conference sessions, funding proposals, communication products, policy briefs and other knowledge products to strengthen the integration of the Resource Nexus into policymaking.
The agreement also provides scope for both institutions to explore emerging topics of mutual interest, creating opportunities to respond to evolving environmental and resource management challenges.
Building on UNU Resource Nexus's engagement in Mongolia
The agreement builds on UNU Resource Nexus's engagement in Mongolia, including its participation and active contributions at COP17 of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, which was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from 17–28 August.
The MoU builds on UNU Resource Nexus's existing links with Mongolia, including through doctoral research at the Institute.
Our ambition is not simply to generate knowledge, but to ensure that it informs decisions and policymaking. Our partnership with GMIT provides a platform to connect our collaboration to stakeholders in Mongolia’s mining sector, the government, civil society organisations and the work of the UN system,
says Prof. Dr. Daniel Karthe, Director of UNU Resource Nexus.
This agreement builds on many years of cooperation between researchers at UNU Resource Nexus and Mongolian scientists and practitioners. Together, we have studied environmental conditions in ecological hotspots, explored pathways for the sustainable transformation of urban and mining areas, and worked on responsible electronics, including the handling of end-of-life batteries. The partnership with GMIT gives this work a lasting institutional framework and opens new opportunities for joint research and training
says Dr. Alexey Alekseenko, Head of Research and Innovation Development at UNU Resource Nexus.
