Social Protection (M.Sc.)
June 2026
June 2026: Social Protection Insights
📢 Applications for the DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme Scholarship for the Academic Year 2027/2028 Now Open
Applications for the MSc Social Protection (Academic Year 2027/2028) under the fully funded DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme Scholarship are now open until 31 July, 2026.
The scholarship programme targets future leaders from developing and emerging countries with at least 5 months of relevant professional experience in social protection or related fields, alongside relevant academic qualifications. Further information on the scholarship programme, on eligibility criteria, and on the application process is available here: https://www.h-brs.de/en/sv/daad-helmut-schmidt-stipendium
Information Session for Prospective Applicants
We invite all prospective applicants to attend our Virtual Information Session on the DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme Scholarship:
- Date: Wednesday, 01 July 2026
- Time: 14:00 CEST
- Link: https://h-brs.webex.com/h-brs-en/j.php?MTID=m73ec23732d11bdd1ed263405e0655127
📢Recent IZNE Interdisciplinary Seminar on “Protection Risks and Service Mapping in Drought- and Flood-Affected Areas in Zambia” by Prof. Dr. Masauso Chirwa
Prof. Dr. Masauso Chirwa, lecturer and visiting professor from the University of Zambia, delivered a presentation titled “Protection Risks and Service Mapping in Drought- and Flood-Affected Areas in Zambia” as part of the International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE) Interdisciplinary Seminar Series on 22 April, 2026.
During the seminar, Prof. Chirwa presented findings from a rapid assessment study examining humanitarian conditions in climate-affected regions across selected districts in Zambia's Southern, Luapula, and Western Provinces. The study highlighted the key risks faced by communities affected by droughts and floods, identified critical gaps in service delivery, explored the coping strategies used by affected populations, and examined how communities perceive recurring climate shocks. The findings provided important insights for strengthening humanitarian response systems, improving service coordination, and enhancing targeted protection interventions in vulnerable settings. The seminar also reflected the ongoing research partnership between the University of Zambia and the department of Social Security, promoting academic exchange and collaborative research on social protection and development issues.
📢Current Modules and Brown Bag Lunch Events
As the summer semester is still in full swing, our Social Protection students are fully immersed in an intensive learning phase, exploring complex global challenges through Modules 6, 8, and 9.1.
In elective Module 6, students have the opportunity to specialize in two submodules of their choice. This semester, the options are "Children and Youth" with Prof. Dr Maria Klara Kuss, "Migrants" with Shaden Sabouni, "Persons with Disabilities" with Allex (Alex) Semba and Prof. Masauso Chirwa PhD, and "Working Population" with Prof. Dr Krzysztof Hagemejer.
In Module 8 „Social Protection Reforms“ , students examine how social protection systems can be strengthened and improved. Submodules include “Reform Communication” with Prof. Dr. Derya Gür-Şeker (HBRS), “Reform Process form a Legal Perspective” with Prof. Dr. Matthias Meißner (University of Applied Sciences, Düsseldorf), and “Reform Financing” with Prof. Dr Krzysztof Hagemejer. Following, students put these concepts into practice through a reform project of their choice, focusing on Gender-responsive social protection, supervised by Hon. Prof. Nyasha Tirivayi (UNICEF Innocenti), or Shock-responsive social protection supervised by Prof. Dr Maria Klara Kuss (HBRS). Working with real-world country case studies, they analyse challenges and opportunities for reforming social protection systems.
At the same time, students are preparing for their upcoming master's theses. In Module 9.1, Prof. Simona Helmsmüller introduces research methods that combine quantitative and qualitative approaches, while also strengthening students' academic writing skills.
📢 Brown Bag Series - June Edition
Alongside an intensive academic schedule, the summer return of our Brown Bag Lunch Series has provided a platform for students to connect classroom learning with policy practitioner insights. Moderated by Prof. Dr Maria Klara Kuss, the June edition featured two expert talk bringing alumni, researchers, and global policy experts together to engage in critical dialogue on contemporary social protection issues.
On June 1st, Dr Miguel A. Rivera-Quiñones from Radboud University opened the series with a talk on how global political and economic shifts are actively reshaping modern welfare systems. Following this, on June 8th, program alumna Fuh Geogette Lumnwi, currently working with the Programme for the Acceleration of the Digital Transformation of Cameroon (PATNUC), shared localized insights on how digital e-voucher subsidy tools are transforming access, delivery, and rural inclusion.
Together, these opportunities for exchange with academics and practitioners enable students to better understand the current political, economic, and technological changes shaping global social protection systems.
Get to Know Our Students, Lecturers & Alumni
Student Spotlight: Luíza Cipriani
Country of Origin: Brazil
Research Interests: Social Security, Social Pensions, and Ageing Societies
Luíza Cipriani is a current student and DAAD Helmut-Schmidt Scholarship holder (2024 - 2025) in the master's programme. Holding a Bachelor of Laws from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Luíza has worked across multiple areas of social policy, including pensions, ageing, and social protection. Before starting the MSc Social Protection programme, she served as a legal intern in both private and public institutions and led legal advocacy projects for vulnerable communities through the Popular Legal Advice Service (SAJU). Luíza academic background also includes research on forced migration and active participation in public policy education programmes (PET). Currently, she is completing an internship at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Alumni Highlight
Alumni Highlight: Martins Nnamdi Anyanwu
Country of Origin: Nigeria
Martins Anyanwu is a Nigerian born social entrepreneur, educator, and advocate for girls’ empowerment, inclusive education, and social justice. In addition to Master's degree in Social Protection, Martins holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Calabar and an MBA in Corporate Social Responsibility and NGO Management from H-BRS.
As the founder of the McNamic Education Initiative and the visionary behind Project Five Million Girls, Martins has led initiatives that expand literacy opportunities for girls, slow learners, and children with learning difficulties. His work is driven by the belief that education is both a fundamental human right and a powerful tool for social protection. Reflecting on his experience in the MSc Social Protection programme, Martins highlights how the interdisciplinary curriculum transformed his approach to social entrepreneurship. Rather than viewing literacy initiatives as isolated educational projects, he now frames them within broader social protection systems that promote equity, resilience, and social inclusion. For Martins, social protection is more than an academic discipline it is a framework for creating opportunities, advancing human dignity, and ensuring that no child is left
Resources, Events and Publications
Events
- Read the article Gender Norms and the Implementation of Social Protection: Evidence from Ethiopia Co authored by Maria Klara Kuss , Nyasha Tirivayi in the Journal Development Studies.
- Read the publication “Disability-Sensitive Social Protection and Inclusive Education for Dyslexic Children in South-West Nigeria: Overcoming Systemic Obstacles” by Martins Anyanwu
- Read the International Social Security Review article "Education and Research for Policy Impact: The Next Frontier in Social Protection - featuring outstanding master's thesis contributions to the Michael Cichon Award ( Maastricht University and UNU-WIDER - United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research) - “Beyond Charity: Can Zakat Complement Social Protection Floors?” by Nourjelha M. Y. Elhag and “Beyond Mortality: Reconceptualising Health Outcomes in Evaluating the Impacts of Foreign Aid” by Oluwatosin Olowookere(finalist).
- Read the research paper “Financial Inclusion and Economic Growth: Evidence from” by Chabala Luswili and Frank Chansa
- Discover the impact of social protection on poverty, inequality and consumption in Asia and the Pacific with the ESCAP SPOT Simulator, by the United Nations, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) .
- Discover the Conflict Response Tracker, an interactive dashboard that monitors and analyzes social protection and related policy responses adopted across the Arab region by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
- The DAAD Annual Report 2025 features Collins Losu (2024/25 DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme scholarship holder from Ghana)
- Read an interesting blog titled “Lessons from EU, MERCOSUR, and ASEAN: Making social security portable across borders” by the Digital Convergence Initiative - DCI
- Subscribe to the The Future of Work Podcast by the International labour organization (ILO)
CONTACT US!
We are always interested in creating partnerships with those of you working in the field! We would love to hear from you if are interested in
- being a #ThesisSupervisor,
- providing #Internship opportunities to our students,
- publishing a paper in our #WorkingPaper series, or
- visiting our university as a #GuestSpeaker
Your feedback and suggestions to improve the newsletter are also very welcome.
📩 msc-socialprotection@h-brs.de
🌐 Master's of Science in Social Protection | Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (H-BRS)