ACTION GROUPS

The Research in Microfinance Action Group promotes the importance of the contribution of research to advances in microfinance and it also strengthens the interaction between researchers and practitioners. Their main objective is to provide better visibility and understanding of the microfinance initiatives of European researchers and universities, by facilitating the exchange of ideas, advances and findings in a multi-disciplinary environment.

Action Group outputs

 The first European Research Conference in Microfinance was organised by the Center for European Research in Microfinance (CERMi) and the Research working group of the European Microfinance Platform. It was the first event of its kind in Europe gathering high level researchers, acadmics, professionals and students and was awarded a prize by Fonds Wernaers pour la Recherche et la Diffusion des Connaissances. 

The 2nd European Research Conference on Microfinance will be held in Groningen University, the Netherlands, 16th - 18th June 2011. The conference will cover the most essential questions the microfinance industry is facing today. Is microfinance really able to significantly reduce world-wide poverty? Are microfinance programs financially sustainable, so that they will be able to finance the poor in the near future? What role does the private sector i.e. commercial banks, play in providing microfinance? What is the impact of different governance mechanisms applied by MFIs on their performance? How importnat is product innovation and technology for microfinance?

Researchers and practitioners from commercial banks, development agencies, government agencies and interested parties working in the field of microfinance will gather in a three day event that will include plenary panel discussions and parallel sessions during which their research papers will be presented and discussed.

For more information visit www.rug.nl/let/microfinance2011

 For the latest programme please click here