2017•03•10     Bonn

The United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of the Federal Republic of Germany (BMBF) and the Ministry for Innovation, Science and Research of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MIWF) have signed a new funding agreement and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to continue their cooperation in supporting the research of the UNU-EHS in the area of environmental risks and particularly its bridging function between science and policy.

At a special ceremony held at the UN Campus in Bonn, the signing was attended by representatives of the BMBF, UNU-EH and the MIWF, and was witnessed by the Mayor of the city of Bonn, Reinhard Limbach.

“The United Nations University has been carrying out excellent research into risks and adaptation strategies related to global change for many years. It has close links with the University of Bonn and is actively engaged in education. UNU’s international research and academic programmes contribute to Bonn’s international attractiveness as a location for research and study. In this way, UNU also plays an important role in implementing the aims of the Federal Government’s Internationalization Strategy,” says State Secretary Dr. Georg Schütte from BMBF.

The MoU enables the enhancement of relations with major institutes working in the field of environment and human security within the United Nations system, as well as with major higher education and research centers across Germany, and especially in Bonn. UNU-EHS has built up a strong cooperation with the University of Bonn as well as with other partners in Bonn and North Rhine-Westphalia. “I am very pleased that the cooperation between UNU-EHS and partners in North Rhine-Westphalia also comprises the field of teaching. The joint Master programme ‘Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security’, offered by UNU-EHS and the University of Bonn since 2013, has been the first of its kind globally,” says Minister Svenja Schulze from MIWF.

Through its research, teaching, capacity development and dissemination of knowledge, UNU-EHS works to further the principles and charters of the United Nations. The signing of the agreement with BMBF and MIWF further strengthens this purpose and increases the impact and effectiveness of their programmes and research. “The new funding agreement and MoU puts us in an excellent position to continue and further develop our programmes at UNU-EHS. We will be able to further strengthen the links between the United Nations and the research community in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia and Germany, on the basis of international research cooperation,” says Prof. Dr. Jakob Rhyner, Director of UNU-EHS.