11. September 2026

ZEF's International Advisory Board held its annual meeting at ZEF ZEF's International Advisory Board held its annual meeting at ZEF

ZEF held its annual  International Advisory Board at ZEF on September 8-10, 2026. ZEF wants to express its gratitude to our highly esteemed Board members for their valuable inputs, insights, impulses, inspiration and interest in ZEF's research activities and researchers!

ZEF's International Advisory Board at its annual meeting
ZEF's International Advisory Board at its annual meeting © ZEF PR
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Who joined the annual meeting at ZEF?

Professor Dr. Finn Tarp (Chair of the Board); Professor Dr. Shenggen Fan; Professor Dr. Barbara Göbel; Professor Dr. Gioconda Herrera (who gave the traditional ZEF Board lecture this year. Her topic was "Migration and climate change in the Andes"); Dr. Wanjiru K.-Rutenberg; Dr. Namukolo Covic (who gave a public lecture after the board meeting closed about "Progress towards healthy, sustainable food systems in Africa"); Professor Dr. Dileep Mavalankar (who joined online from India); Dr. Michael Rabbow; Dr. (H.E.) Rhoda Peace Tumusiime (welcome to our new Board member);  
Professor Dr. Klaus Sandmann (representing the Rectorate of Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn); 
Uwe Gehlen (representing Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ); 
Isabel V. de Orellana (representing Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR);  
Professor Dr. Xiaomeng Sheng (United Nations University - Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS).

Find a list of all our Board members on our website here.

What were the main points of discussion?

ZEF's International Advisory Board meetings are internal. ZEF's Board advises and "guides" ZEF on topics related to research, research funding and institutional context and developments. Items on this year's agenda included challenges and opportunities of conducting interdisciplinary research, how to deal with a globally changing political and donor landscape, and how to advance capacity development and South-South cooperation.