ZEF-Researchers Prof. Dr. Anindita Sarkar and Dr.-Ing. Fazlullah Akhtar visited the University of Oxford on November 4-5, 2026. Their visit was part of the project Understanding Just Transitions in Groundwater: Adaptation Futures in the Context of Climate Extremes, which is supported by the Bonn Global Cooperation Fund (BGCF) of the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. BGCF facilitates international academic networking and collaboration.

Apply now! There are 10 PhD positions to be filled in the new DFG Research Training Group „Urban Future – managing transformations for a better health in blue cities“ (RTG 3204/1). 

Oil and natural gas still account for the vast majority of the world's energy and raw materials, with all the associated environmental and biodiversity consequences. The bioeconomy is an approach to overcoming this dependence: instead of using fossil fuels, it uses renewable resources such as plants, microorganisms, and organic waste. The goal is for economic growth to go hand in hand with protecting species, the climate, and soils. The updated edition of the Global Bioeconomy Policy Report 2026, produced by the International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy (IACGB), has been launched in Dublin on 20 October. The Global South, in particular, is increasingly recognizing the bioeconomy as a sustainable and equitable economic model.

The World Health Summit (October 11-13, 2026) in Berlin offered an inspiring platform for global health leaders, scientists, policymakers, and practitioners to confront pressing health challenges, exchange innovative ideas, and strengthen partnerships to build a healthier and more equitable world. Four ZEF HEALTH researchers, Dr. Raissa Sorgho, Dr. Stephen Amoah, Grace Wothaya Kihagi and Marian Abrafi Osei joined this global dialogue with active contributions to conversations on strengthening health systems and advancing health equity.

Initiated by Prof. Dr. Ina Danquah, spokesperson of the DFG-funded Research Unit “Climate Change and Health in sub-Saharan Africa” and Director at ZEF, the two-year Equal Opportunities Programme brought together female scientists at different stages of their academic careers. The programme was coordinated by Prof. Dr. Pamela Luckau (KellerPartner GmbH) and featured structured training modules, expert guidance and peer mentoring sessions, designed to foster personal and professional development. What began as an initiative to support female scientists has evolved into a rewarding journey of professional growth, shared experiences, and lasting connections.

ZEF hosted a Right Livelihood workshop this week (October 6-7, 2026) on Rural Development and Smallholder Agriculture.  Seventeen doctoral researchers presented and discussed their work with Dr. Maximilian Abouleish-Boes, Chief Sustainable Development Officer at SEKEM, Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development, Egypt, an organization that obtained the Right Livelihood Award in 2003.

ZEF researchers have presented and discussed their research at the 8th African Conference of Agricultural Economists which was held in Nairobi, Kenya, September 22-25, 2026.

During the 8th African Conference of Agricultural Economists, which was held from September 22-25, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya, ZEF Director Matin Qaim was recognized as Honorary Fellow of the African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).