The Maastricht Debate is combining the Charles Cooper lecture.

Press article (Crossroads) | Lecture slides (pdf)

Abstract:
This lecture will explore why it makes economic sense to invest in research and development that specifically targets low income groups, with the greatest unmet needs.  Drawing upon her post-Tsunami initiatives in promoting sanitation and her previous work on the Indian economy, in particular the health sector, Dr. Ramani will explore the complementary role of firms, non-governmental organizations and the State in promoting innovation for development, highlighting some successes that can be adapted in other developing country contexts.

The lecture will be followed by open debate, with contributions by:

• Prof. Richard Nelson, Earth Institute at Columbia University, USA
  Dr. Shulin Gu, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
  Dr. Suma Athreye, Brunel Business School, UK
  Prof. Ana Castro, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  Prof. Luc Soete, Director United Nations University-MERIT, Maastricht

About the speaker:
Shyama V. Ramani is Senior Researcher at the National Institute of Agricultural Research in France and a Research Associate of the Ecole Polytechnique, France. She also coordinates a Franco-Indian Reconstruction Project established to help victims of the 2005 Tsunami (www.friend-in-need.org) for which she has been awarded the “Women of the Earth Trophy” for 2008 by the Yves-Rocher Fondation and the Institut de France.

Download the poster (1.5 MB - PDF)