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The United Nations University (UNU) is the academic arm of the United Nations (UN). It bridges the academic world and the UN system. Its goal is to develop sustainable solutions for current and future problems of humankind in all aspects of life. Through a problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approach it aims at applied research and education on a global scale. UNU was founded in 1973 and is an autonomous organ of the UN General Assembly. The University comprises headquarters Tokyo, Japan, and more than a dozen Institutes and Programmes worldwide.

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New Research Agenda Developed at Summer Academy 2008

In the course of the third annual Summer Academy on Change, Migration and Social Vulnerability PhD researchers developed an agenda for their future research in which they stress the importance of a holistic approach and early on involvement.

The 25 researchers from 16 countries tackled the problem of understanding the complexity of forced migration due to climate and environmental change and of finding solutions to reduce social vulnerability of those who have to flee their homelands. They examined the cause, effect and aftermath of environmental migration such as the issues of displacement and resettlement.

In their agenda the academy participants highlight research need for understanding social, cultural and historical factors which influence migration decisions as well as the urgency of policy tools for early intervention.

Among the highlights of the Summer Academy was the keynote speech of Prof. Dr Janos Bogardi, Director of UNU-EHS and Vice-Rector a.i. in Europe, in which he emphasized the importance of raising knowledge-based public and political awareness and its social, economic, and environmental dimensions, an opinion that was reiterated during the course of the academy. The environment as a dimension and driver of migration should be included in ongoing international debates and dialogues, underlined Bogardi. UNU-EHS sees its role to serve as a conductor to synthesise research results of different schools and provide critical review.

The developed agenda forms the basis for the “Hohenkammer Challenge”, a refined research agenda which will be in place by October 2008 and be presented at the International Conference on Environment, Forced Migration and Social Vulnerability (EFMSV) in Bonn from 9 to 11 October 2008.

The agenda points are an advancement of the global research agenda developed during the international expert meeting in April convened by UNU-EHS, the International Organization for Migration, Munich Re Foundation, and the United Nations Environment Programme.

The third annual Summer Academy took place in Hohenkammer near Munich from 27 July until 2 August 2008.

More information can be found on the webpage of The Munich Re Foundation (MRF), please click here .