Read ZEF's new strategy paper 2015-2020

ZEF has developed, in consultation with its stakeholders, an updated research strategy: <link fileadmin downloads zef_strategy_2015-2020 zef_strategy_2015-2020.pdf download file>ZEF strategy 2015-2020.

ZEF is dedicated to development research in its different and interlinked components. The Center’s core research areas are based on the disciplinary strengths of our three departments, as well as on our interdisciplinary expertise.

In addition, we aim to ensure trans-disciplinary stakeholder involvement across all research activities, i.e. in the definition of research topics and the perception of scientific findings at different levels with a view to their technical, political and societal implementation.

ZEF’s six core research areas take the emerging United Nations post-2015 agenda into account which is succeeding the 2000-2015 Millennium Development Goals.

In this regard, the six core research areas ensure the full thematic integration of ZEF’s science program and contribute in a sustainable way to the Center’s global Research and Development objectives which focus on global change, poverty reduction, justice, maintaining diversity, and risk management. ZEF‘s objectives are to be implemented via inter- and trans-disciplinary research, emphasizing gender issues.

The manifold aspects of global change such as continued human population growth, climate change and geopolitical developments build an overarching frame under which the research agenda has been developed.As such, each of the six core research areas relates to the overall sustainable development agenda, while accentuating a specific bundle of topics on which a particular focus is set. All areas are closely interlinked and sometimes overlap thematically, also allowing for the continuous amplification of thematic arrangements beyond the given frame of the individual research area.