News
Wageningen Global Sustainability Programme; to tackle the many challenges worldwide
To tackle the many challenges worldwide Wageningen University & Research (WUR) invests in the Wageningen Global Sustainability Programme. A programme that invests in interdisciplinary research and education in close collaboration with partners in low and middle income countries. ‘We look forward to receive many great ideas and project proposals’ says rector magnificus Arthur Mol.
INREF becomes Wageningen Global Sustainability Programme
Since 2000 WUR has invested in INREF, the Interdisciplinary Research & Education Fund. After a positive evaluation the Executive Board decided to invest in a fifth phase, but with a new name, the Wageningen Global Sustainability Programme. This new name gives a better indication of what the programme stands for, global sustainable development. Interdisciplinarity still plays a dominant role, as all research proposals need to be developed by partners from different disciplines. The complex challenges we face, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and healthy diet for all, are all interrelated, and require policies and innovations that consider the synergies and trade-offs between different activities.
Global
The INREF programme has been active in 28 countries and over 250 people obtained their PhD degree within the programme. Most of these PhDs were obtained by people working with local institutions in the partner countries, and as such creating local interdisciplinary research capacity. Project proposals can only be submitted by collaborating chair groups of Wageningen University. The collaboration with local partners is an important element of each granted proposal.