DDRN – Page 32 – Danish Development Research Network

Challenge-Driven Innovation (CDI)

“Do we want to make the world a more sustainable place through concentrated efforts around a complex societal challenge? In the “Utmaningsdriven Innovation” (UDI) (“Challenge-Driven Innovation” (CDI) program) we create the conditions for actors that want to investigate, develop and implement innovative solutions that contribute to the sustainability targets of the 2030 Agenda”.

Blockchain backing transparency?

Corruption represents a major obstacle in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals. The activity hampers economic growth and increases poverty, depriving the most marginalised groups of equitable access to vital services such as healthcare, education and water and sanitation. Development practitioners should now start to modernise their approach to preventing petty corruption from hindering their agendas and look towards new technologies.

Hall of Shame?

Hijacked journals and predatory publishers are phenomena facing the aspiring researcher in the South and North alike. Which are the pitfalls? Is Open Access a cause or a remedy? You are invited to take a stand in the controversy about these ‘by-products’ of universities’ pressure on faculty staff for increasing scientific publication.

Ubuntu – a different meaning altogether

Ubuntu refers to African customary law, based on the value: ‘I am because we are’. Nadeem Salie’s PhD thesis argues, as entitled, that ‘The utilisation of Ubuntu can promote accountability in public officials and state institutions as well as give effect to social solidarity in South Africa’. Nadeem spent more than seven months at Department of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen, to study the Danish welfare state as part of his thesis work.

Creativity in technology design – bridging knowledge communities in China and Denmark

Chunfang Zhuo is Associate Professor at Department of Planning at Aalborg University (AAU). Ten years ago, she came to Denmark on a PhD scholarship to study ‘Group Creativity Development in Problem and Project-Based Learning Environment in Engineering Education’. Her research is cross-cultural comparing young engineers in China and Denmark. A key question is how humour is used differently for creativity in technology design.