Keynote Lectures and Workshops

The current financial and economic crisis reveals the structural vulnerability of a globally interconnected and interdependent economic system. At the same time it reminds us of our global responsibility and of the questions we need to address: How can we transform the economic basis of the societies of industrial as well as developing countries into a sustainable one? Which conditions are necessary for global trade to advance competition and simultaneously inhibit exploitation? How do we ensure policy coherence in development policy? How can we foster sustainable economic growth which effectively reduces poverty?

The place where in future these questions will most urgently pose themselves are the emerging megacities. Over the next decades, an estimated 90 percent of the global increase in population will take place in the urban areas of developing countries. Questions to be asked and answered are: How do we deal with the growing number of megacities with more than 20 million inhabitants? Which impact will this increasing urbanization have on the solidarity within societies? And which policies and strategies will be needed to cope with the political, economic and social challenges arising from shrinking cities in rural regions?

Scientific Advisors:

Prof. Stephan Klasen (Chair of Development Economics, University of Göttingen, Germany)
Volker Kreibich (TU Dortmund University, Germany)