ZEF Bonn

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ZEF Bonn ● Center for Development Research – Annual Report 2001/2002
"All ZEF departments are
equipped with excellent leadership
and staff, and have
performed their tasks with
outstanding academic quality.
The large number of publications,
invitations to conferences,
and the close international
networking of the departments
illustrate this well."
teaching, the directors are not only highly committed and extremely disciplined but
also extremely effective.
ZEF's international Advisory Board has an important function both in quality assurance
and in the formulation of research strategies. The composition of the Board
(16 members from science, politics, the ministries, international organisations and
business) seems balanced and guarantees high practical orientation, especially as
25 percent of the members come from countries with developing and transforming
economies.
The funds available for management and administration are used efficiently in cooperation
with ZEI. However, due to the rapid growth of the Center through thirdparty
funds, administrative constraints are appearing. This growth in the program of
ZEF makes larger administration capacities both desirable and urgently necessary.
Despite some friction, co-operation with the administration of the University of
Bonn has shown an overall positive development and is indispensable for fulfilment
of ZEF's mandate.
Recommendation
● The link between ZEF and ZEI has not led to the desired synergy effects, except
for the jointly used services. Because of the difference in the thematic issues
focussed on by ZEF and ZEI, a division between the two centres that is more
easily perceptible from the outside is perhaps advisable. In any case, in the present
situation, expectations are raised regarding joint work that cannot be fulfilled
thematically and administratively. However, this in no way excludes continued
co-operation in the use of logistics (e.g. library).
● The success achieved by ZEF in such a short time cannot be continued in the
long run without additional administrative staff. If the current volume of thirdparty
funding is to be managed appropriately and without curtailment in other
areas, additional staff is imperative for personnel and accounting. On the other
hand, this also means that the volume of third-party funding will have to be
noticeably reduced should the core budget be lowered after the year 2004,
which would reduce the funds available for management and administration. A
sufficient number of permanent positions in ZEF for project management (including
for the doctoral program) is a necessary prerequisite for ensuring substantial
continuity of the Center's activities over plannable time periods and for
maintaining the successful profile achieved to date.
● It would be desirable if political reforms, in the framework of reformed university
and labour laws, were to create better conditions for the Center's international
networking activities.
III. Quality and Importance of Research in the
Departments
All ZEF departments are equipped with excellent leadership and staff, and have performed
their tasks with outstanding academic quality. The large number of publications,
invitations to conferences, and the close international networking of the departments
illustrate this well. ZEF's themes are at the centre of the international
development-policy debate to which ZEF has provided several major contributions.
The research projects for public and private clients have substantially contributed to
practical and application-oriented policy advice and knowledge transfer in important