United Nations University - CRIS

🧩 We often hear warnings about the "excessive power" of international organisations like the EU, WHO, or the African Union. But are we looking at an accurate map of how these institutions function?

In a thought-provoking new piece for The Loop (ECPR), our Professorial Fellow Samuel Standaert, alongside Anja Jetschke, challenges the common narrative that international organisations become more centralised as they grow.

Key insights from the commentary:
• Contrary to expectations, as regional organisations gain more authority and cover broader policy areas, power does not pool at the centre—it disperses.

•Why does this happen? The researchers suggest that as organisations take on complex responsibilities—from trade to climate policy—they naturally differentiate into specialised bodies. Managing this complexity demands a distributed, interdependent network rather than a single, powerful organ.

• This dispersal creates an intricate web of institutions. The EU, often cited as a paradigm of "centralised authority," is actually a vivid example of power spread across the Commission, Council, Parliament, and Court of Justice.

The takeaway? When we debate the "power" of international organisations, we must ask: which organ, exactly? The reality is far more complex—and more fragmented—than the warning suggests.

📖 Read the full analysis here: https://theloop.ecpr.eu/when-international-organisations-grow-power-spreads/

We are pleased to highlight a significant new publication by our United Nations University - CRIS colleagues Vijay Kumar Chattu, Nidhi Nagabhatla, and Philippe De Lombaerde, published in Health Promotion Prespectives.

⚕️ "Cross-Border Cooperation for One Health in Central Asia: Strengthening Systems and Securing Futures through Regional Health Diplomacy" explores how regional cooperation can transform health security.

Key insights from the study:
• The authors demonstrate how Central Asia is moving away from fragmented national health strategies toward an integrated, regional "One Health" framework.

• The paper identifies "Regional Health Diplomacy" (RHD) as the essential tool for implementing multi-sectoral health governance.

• This approach is not just about medical outcomes; it is a transformative strategy for regional integration, positioning Central Asia as a potential knowledge hub for global "One Health" implementation.

At a time when infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and food insecurity are crossing borders more than ever, this research offers a critical roadmap for coordinated, cross-border action.

📖 Access the full article here: https://hpptbzmed.com/Article/hpp-45299

🌍 How can the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) navigate the complexities of the 21st century without compromising national sovereignty?

In our latest United Nations University - CRIS Working Paper, Mohammed Alotaibi proposes a new framework for Gulf regionalism: Functionally Differentiated Regionalism.

🤝 Moving beyond traditional models, which often prioritise rigid political unions, this research argues that the future of Gulf integration lies in strategic cooperation. By pooling critical functions—such as air and missile defense, cybersecurity, data governance, and supply-chain resilience—member states can build a collective "strategic shield" while maintaining their separate national markets.

Why does this matter?
🏛️ In an era of deep digital and infrastructural interdependence, relying solely on national isolation can lead to vulnerability. This functional approach suggests a more pragmatic path: creating institutions that are flexible, reversible, and designed to address specific strategic needs where fragmentation is too costly.

🗺️ This paper offers a roadmap to 2030, re-imagining how regional systems can sense, adapt, and act in a shared strategic environment.

⛓️‍💥 Read the full Working Paper here: https://unu.edu/publication/gcc-regional-operating-system-differentiated-sovereignty-and-future-gulf-regionalism

A new week and a new month at United Nations University - CRIS kicked off with our traditional lunch seminar! 🥗🧠

Our regular lunch gatherings are more than just a break; they are the heart of our vibrant research community. This week, we had the pleasure of diving into diverse and cutting-edge topics presented by our colleagues:

Filippo Marinoni sparked a thought-provoking discussion on "The Western Balkan 'region' as an EU invention".

Till Brüggemann & Laura Eglīte shared their innovative work on "AI Chatbot for Delivering Psychological First Aid to Climate Disaster Survivors via Cellular and Offline Mesh Networking".

Thiago Moraes provided insights into his research on "rightsholders engagement in AI regulatory sandboxes".

These informal sessions held in person allow us to exchange ideas, challenge our perspectives, and strengthen the collaborative spirit that defines UNU-CRIS.

A big thank you to our PhD Committee for organising this insightful session.

*Photos captured during the presentations by Filippo Marinoni and the team of Till Brüggeman & Laura Eglite.

🌍 In an era where the world's most pressing issues do not respect national borders, how do we craft effective policy?

For our "Online Master in Economic Policy and Governance for Development and Resilience", we believe the answer lies in understanding power dynamics across local, regional, and global levels.

We are proud to feature Frank Mattheis, who coordinates the course "Regionalism and Inter-regionalism in Development" in the specialisation track on "Multi-level governance of global challenges". As a Research Fellow at United Nations University - CRIS and the coordinator of the Regions and Cities Governance Lab (Re-LAB), Prof. Mattheis brings world-class expertise in the governance dynamics of regional integration to our virtual classrooms.

"Our world's biggest challenges—from climate change to peace—don't respect borders. This Master programme equips students with the tools to understand how power and policy are negotiated in complex environments across different levels, from local to regional to global."

— Prof. Frank Mattheis

Why should you join this programme?
• To learn how to navigate the interplay between regionalism, sovereignty, and territoriality.

• To gain insights from governance processes in Africa, Europe, and Latin America.

• To develop the analytical skills required to bridge the gap between policy and complex, multi-level environments.

Are you ready to build the resilience needed to govern in an interconnected world?

🔗 Explore our curriculum and specialisation tracks:https://unu.edu/sites/default/files/2026-04/MEP%20%288%29.pdf
🔗 Read more about the programme details: https://unu.edu/cris/masters-degree/online-master-economic-policy-and-governance-development-and-resilience

🇪🇺 How do EU Member States navigate the tension between border security and social inclusion?

Our latest UNU-CRIS Insight Brief by Miquela Kallenberger offers a compelling comparison of two clashing directions in migration governance: the restrictive framework of the European Union versus the regularisation initiatives in Spain.

The Policy Contrast:
• The EU Perspective: Recent European Parliament decisions signal a shift toward externalisation and deterrence. By expanding "safe third country" transfers and accelerating asylum procedures, the EU is prioritising security, efficiency, and the formalisation of returns.

• The Spanish Perspective: In contrast, Spain has launched a massive regularisation scheme—driven by a citizen-led initiative—to provide legal pathways for over 500,000 undocumented migrants, aiming to formalise labor participation and strengthen social cohesion.

Why it matters:
These parallel developments demonstrate that migration governance in Europe is not a monolith. Instead, it is increasingly fragmented, with Member States often pursuing strategies that diverge sharply from the EU’s collective security-oriented mandates.

Understanding these divergent strategies is critical for anyone interested in the future of human mobility and regional governance.

📖 Read and download the full paper here: https://unu.edu/publication/contrasting-directions-migration-governance-comparing-spain-and-eus-recent-initiatives

🎓 Master Your Foundations: The Core of Our Policy Curriculum

What does it take to navigate the complex challenges of the 21st century? Our "Online Master in Economic Policy and Governance for Development and Resilience" is built on a rigorous, interdisciplinary core that bridges theory and practice.

Our four core courses provide the essential tools for any policy professional:
• Governance of Global Challenges: Explore the institutional, political, and ethical dilemmas shaping our world through systems thinking and resilience frameworks.

• Topics in Economic Theory: Gain a structured foundation in micro and macroeconomics, focusing on how models guide policy thinking regarding efficiency, trade, and market failures.

• Core Skills for Professional Practice: Develop essential transferable skills, including structured policy writing, negotiation, digital collaboration, and strategic career planning.

• Policy Lab: Step into the role of a policy analyst by collaborating on real-world problems, from diagnosis to actionable recommendations. Beyond these, students enhance their expertise by choosing from our advanced methods and specialized tracks.

Ready to build a solid foundation for your career?

Apply by June 30, 2026.

🔗 https://unu.edu/cris/masters-degree/online-master-economic-policy-and-governance-development-and-resilience

🌿 Beyond Green Recovery: Linking Environmental Rehabilitation to Health Resilience in the Aral Sea Region

The Aral Sea crisis remains a stark warning of what happens when environmental mismanagement meets climate change. Today, as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan pursue ambitious green transitions, a critical opportunity has emerged: to align environmental recovery with a comprehensive health resilience agenda.

We are pleased to share the new policy brief: "Green Transition and Health Resilience in the Aral Sea Region: Spotlighting the Interconnectedness"

Authored by a multi-disciplinary team, including our colleagues from UNU-CRIS (Philippe De Lombaerde, Nidhi Nagabhatla, Sabit Orynbassar, and Vijay Kumar Chattu), this brief argues that climate action is incomplete without a direct focus on community health.

Key insights from the brief:
• The crisis has created intergenerational health risks, from chronic respiratory and cardiovascular stress to waterborne diseases and mental health challenges.

• Environmental rehabilitation is not a luxury—it is the foundation of public health. We must synchronise economic restructuring with health system strengthening.

• The transition to a green economy must prioritise community adaptation capacities and robust environmental monitoring to ensure a resilient future.

This brief provides a clear roadmap for policymakers aiming to tackle the complex nexus of climate change and well-being.

📖 Read and download the paper here: https://unu.edu/publication/green-transition-and-health-resilience-aral-sea-region-spotlighting-interconnectedness