International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE)
Prof. Dr Katja Bender
Professor of Economics, esp. Economic & Social Development/Vice Dean for Research, Transfer and Internationalization/Director International Center for Sustainable Development/Deputy President European Association for Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI)
Unit
Department of Management Sciences, International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE)
Research fields
- Social protection and health care systems from a global perspective, in particular political economy of reform processes in low- or middle-income countries
- Interplay between technological & institutional change with a specific focus on the Energy-Health-Nexus.
- (International) research-practice cooperation and sustainable development
Location
Sankt Augustin
Room
F 306
Address
Grantham-Allee 20
53757, Sankt Augustin
Telephone
+49 2241 865 9660Profile
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9590-0452
Subject area
Economics, especially Economic and Social Development
Teaching areas
- Microeconomics
- Development economics
- Research methods including empirial economic and social research
- Political economy of health systems
Research fields
- Social protection and health care systems from a global perspective, in particular political economy of reform processes in low- or middle-income countries
- Interplay between technological & institutional change with a specific focus on the Energy-Health-Nexus.
- (International) research-practice cooperation and sustainable development
International working experience
Sub-Saharan Africa (Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania); South Asia & South-East Asia (India, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam)
Memberships
Projects
- since 2024: NGO-Academics Collaboration in International Development across Europe [Partner: European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI)]
- 2021-2025: One Health und urbane Transformation – Erkennung von Risiken, Erarbeitung nachhaltiger Lösungen II, Partner: Universität Bonn (lead) & UNU- EHS, [Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft NRW (MKW)]
- 2019-2023: Energy Self-sufficiency for Health Facilities in Ghana (EnerShelf). CLIENT II – Internationale Partnerschaften für nachhaltige Innovationen“ [Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)]; https://www.bmbf-client.de/en/projects/enershelf
- 2019-2020: Roles, processes and risks within the research – practice nexus: Perspectives from academia [with European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI)]
- 2019-2023: Energy Self-Sufficiency for Health Facilities in Ghana,[Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)]
- 2017: Energy Self-sufficiency for Health Facilities in Ghana (EnerShelf), Definitionsvorhaben CLIENT II – Internationale Partnerschaften für nachhaltige Innovationen“ [Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)]
- 2016-2020: NRW-Fortschrittskolleg 'One Health and Urban Transformation', Partner: University Bonn (lead) & UNU- EHS [Ministerium für Innovation, Wissenschaft und Forschung - MKW NRW]
- 2015-2017: Social and Health Policies for Inclusive Growth (SHPIG) - Breaking the Vicious Circle between Poverty and Ill-Health. Are cash transfers and social health protection policies in Ghana and Kenya mutually complementing? [Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) - WOTRO Science for Global Development]
- 2015-2016: Globale Partnerschaft – Nordrhein-Westfalen für eine internationale nachhaltige Entwicklung –Status Quo und Perspektiven [Ministerium für Innovation, Wissenschaft und Forschung (MIWF) NRW]
- 2013-2014: International Policy Learning and Policy Change: Scientific Inputs for the Dialogue on Social Protection with Global Partners [Ko-Finanzierung: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)]
Research Projects
The KLUGER Transfer project stands for knowledge transfer in the fields of climate, environment and health research. The aim is to strengthen the transfer of knowledge from basic research at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC) via applied research at the International Center for Sustainable Development (IZNE) at Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS) to the public, politics and business. Different formats for targeted exchange are being tested in order to improve communication between science, society and politics.
Project management at the H-BRS
Prof. Dr Katja Bender Prof. Dr Martin Hamer Prof. Dr Stefanie Meilinger Prof. Dr Wiltrud Terlau
Using the One Health approach, the research college, led by ZEF at the University of Bonn, is looking at urban food systems: on the one hand, at the "supply of healthy food from sustainable production" and, on the other hand, at the "spread and transmission of antibiotic-resistant pathogens" through food chains. Furthermore, health-related aspects of urban transformation are highlighted, which fall into the areas of "health and well-being" and "sustainable cities".
Project management at the H-BRS
Prof. Dr Katja Bender Prof. Dr Martin Hamer Prof. Dr Wiltrud Terlau
"Dumsor" is the Ghanaian word for the frequent blackouts that happen on the country's electricity grid. Like many developing and emerging countries, Ghana suffers from frequent power cuts. On top of this, there is also the instability of the power grid. Both have a major impact on the health care services. Although electricity from photovoltaic systems could provide a solution, the photovoltaic (PV) market in Ghana remains relatively underdeveloped. This is where the EnerSHelf joint project steped in. Through dedicated research, research-practice collaboration in interdisciplinary teams, and on-the-ground implementation, the project paved the way for improved energy access and resilience within the healthcare sector, ultimately contributing to the well-being and prosperity of the Ghanaian population.
Project management at the H-BRS
Prof. Dr Stefanie Meilinger Prof. Dr Katja Bender
The main objectives of the definition project "Energy Self-sufficiency for Health Facilities in Ghana" were to form a consortium of academic and corporate partners to prepare a draft proposal for a research and development (R&D) project aimed primarily at simultaneously improving access to health services and energy through the development and delivery of context-appropriate and sustainable energy solutions for health facilities in Ghana.
Project management at the H-BRS
Prof. Dr Katja Bender Prof. Dr Stefanie Meilinger
The research consortium "One Health and Urban Transformation - Recognizing Risks and Developing Sustainable Solutions" is a graduate school funded by North Rhine-Westphalia’s Ministry of Innovation, Science and Research NRW. It is coordinated by the Center for Development Research (ZEF) in cooperation with institutes of the University of Bonn, the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences and the United Nations University (Institute for Environment and Human Security).
Project management at the H-BRS
Prof. Dr Katja Bender Prof. Dr Wiltrud Terlau Prof. Dr Martin Hamer
Against the backdrop of the concretization of the 2030 Agenda adopted in September and the universally applicable Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) anchored therein, solution strategies for the greater intensification of interdisciplinary cooperation between different scientific disciplines and the necessary internationalization of research will be developed in a dialogue between representatives of development and sustainability research, research policy and research funding institutions.
Project management at the H-BRS
Prof. Dr Katja Bender
Social protection is increasingly seen as a relevant tool for bringing about inclusive growth. This is in line with the broader idea of comprehensive development, which considers social inequality and sustainability issues as priority concerns, and reflects a significant shift in perspective. Good health is an important component of comprehensive growth. Poverty and ill health are highly correlated and mutually reinforcing: high direct and indirect costs of access to treatment lead to poverty or exacerbate existing poverty.
Project management at the H-BRS
Prof. Dr Katja Bender
The international workshop "Measuring the social, economic and political effects of social protection: How to overcome the challenges?" brings together policy makers and experts from academia, development practitioners and public administrators to discuss methodological, operational and strategic challenges of measuring the effectiveness of policy interventions and to develop solutions.
Project management at the H-BRS
Prof. Dr Katja Bender
The research project investigates determinants of international policy diffusion as well as the role of transgovernmental policy networks for policy change in the field of social protection in developing and emerging countries. Research Approach Policy diffusion and policy transfer are research programs that deal with the international spread of policies. Different mechanisms, among them policy learning, have been identified by related research to explain policy diffusion.
Project management at the H-BRS
Prof. Dr Katja Bender
Publications
2025
Katja Bender, Martin Hamer, Stefanie Meilinger, Wiltrud Terlau, Susanne Benner, Alexandra Gutmann, Laura Lelieveld-Fast, Samantha Antonini, Frank Dieball, Angela Turck, Sebastian Heinen:
KLUGER Transfer (Klima-Umwelt-Gesundheit) - Institutionalisierte Transfer-Kooperation zwischen außeruniversitären Forschungseinrichtungen und Hochschulen für Angewandte Wissenschaften.
doi:10.34657/27048
BibTeX | RIS
Katja Bender, Markus Kaltenborn (Hg.):
Global Social Protection: Institutional Perspectives.
doi:10.4337/9781800371361
BibTeX | RIS
Katja Bender, Callistus Agbaam:
Social protection institutions from an economic perspective: social accountability and institutional effectiveness.
doi:10.4337/9781800371361.00008
BibTeX | RIS
Katja Bender, Markus Kaltenborn:
Introduction to global social protection.
doi:10.4337/9781800371361.00006
BibTeX | RIS
Callistus Agbaam, Ana Maria Perez Arredondo, Kennedy Alatinga, Katja Bender:
Determinants of institutional change towards a sustainable energy transition in Ghana: A political economy analysis of solar photovoltaics.
PDF Download (CC BY 4.0) doi:10.1016/j.erss.2025.104165 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-90674
BibTeX | RIS
2024
Jonas Bauhof, Katja Bender, Stefanie Meilinger, Sarah Rabe:
Inter- and Transdisciplinary Collaboration in an International Research Project – The Case of the German-Ghanaian Project EnerSHelF (Energy-Self-Sufficiency for Health Facilities in Ghana).
PDF Download doi:10.18418/978-3-96043-112-1 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-83694
BibTeX | RIS
2023
Callistus Agbaam, Ana Maria Perez Arredondo, Kennedy Alatinga, Katja Bender:
The Political Economy of Sustainable Energy Transitions: A Literature Review and A Research Agenda.
PDF Download doi:10.18418/978-3-96043-109-1 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-75206
BibTeX | RIS
Ana Perez Arredondo, Kennedy Alatinga, Evelyn Ewere, Callistus Agbaam, Katja Bender:
Exploring the determinants of demand for solar systems in Ghanaian Healthcare Facilities - a choice experiment.
PDF Download (Meeting Abstract, CC BY-NC 4.0) doi:10.18332/popmed/163977 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-70275
BibTeX | RIS
2022
Katja Bender:
Research–Practice–Collaborations in International Sustainable Development and Knowledge Production: Reflections from a Political-Economic Perspective.
PDF Download (CC BY 4.0) doi:10.1057/s41287-022-00549-7 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-63096
BibTeX | RIS
Rone Yousif, Nicola Kimiaie, Stefanie Meilinger, Katja Bender, Felix K. Abagale, Emmanuel Ramde, Thorsten Schneiders, Harald Kunstmann, Belko Diallo, Seyni Salack, Steven Denk, Jan Bliefernicht, Windmanagda Sawadogo, Samuel Guug, Silvan Rummeny, Paul Bohn, Samer Chaaraoui, Sebastian Schiffer, Mohammed Abass, Edward Amekah:
Measurement data availability within EnerSHelF.
PDF Download (Meeting Abstract, CC BY 4.0) doi:10.5194/ems2022-530 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-63031
BibTeX | RIS
Nicky Pouw, Katja Bender:
The Poverty Reduction Effect of Social Protection: The Pros and Cons of a Multidisciplinary Approach.
PDF Download (CC BY 4.0) doi:10.1057/S41287-022-00505-5 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-61386
BibTeX | RIS
2021
Katja Bender:
Public preferences.
PDF Download (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) doi:10.4337/9781839109119.00066 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-58107
BibTeX | RIS
Ana Maria Perez Arredondo, Sandul Yasobant, Walter Bruchhausen, Katja Bender, Timo Falkenberg:
Intersectoral collaboration shaping One Health in the policy agenda: A comparative analysis of Ghana and India.
PDF Download (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) doi:10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100272 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-55446 PMID
BibTeX | RIS
Barbara Rohregger, Katja Bender, Bethuel Kinyanjui Kinuthia, Esther Schüring, Grace Ikua, Nicky Pouw:
The politics of implementation: The role of traditional authorities in delivering social policies to poor people in Kenya.
PDF Download (CC BY-NC 4.0) doi:10.1177/02610183211009889 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-54047
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Katja Bender, Barbara Rohregger, Bethuel Kinuthia, Grace Ikua, Esther Schüring, Clement Adamba, Kennedy A. Alatinga, Nicky Pouw:
Different pathways of social protection reforms: An analysis of long-term institutional change in Kenya.
doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.105210
BibTeX | RIS
2020
Nicky R.M. Pouw, Barbara Rohregger, Esther Schüring, Kennedy A. Alatinga, Bethuel Kinuthia, Katja Bender:
Social protection in Ghana and Kenya through an inclusive development Lens. Complex effects and risks.
doi:10.1016/j.wdp.2020.100173
BibTeX | RIS
2018
Nicky Pouw, Barbara Rohregger, Esther Schüring, Kennedy Alatinga, Bethuel Kinuthia, Katja Bender:
Social Protection in Ghana and Kenya through an Inclusive Development Lens: complex effects and risks.
PDF Download doi:10.18418/978-3-96043-056-8 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-36620
BibTeX | RIS
Barbara Rohregger, Katja Bender, Bethuel Kinuthia, Esther Schüring, Grace Ikua, Nicky Pouw:
The politics of implementation or why institutional interaction matters: The role of traditional authorities in delivering pro-poor social policies in Kenya.
PDF Download doi:10.18418/978-3-96043-036-0 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-36611
BibTeX | RIS
2017
Katja Bender, Barbara Rohregger, Bethuel Kinuthia, Grace Ikua, Nicky Pouw, Esther Schüring:
Understanding multiple trajectories of extending social protection to the poor: An analysis of institutional change in Kenya.
PDF Download doi:10.18418/978-3-96043-054-4 urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-33707
BibTeX | RIS
Katja Bender:
Soziale Sicherung und internationale Politikdiffusion.
URL
BibTeX | RIS
2016
Katja Bender:
Transgovernmental Networks As Governance Structures for International Policy Diffusion in Social Protection.
BibTeX | RIS
2015
Katja Bender, Sonja Keller, Holger Willing:
Insights into the Role of International Policy Networks for International Policy Transfer and Policy Learning in Social Protection.
PDF Download urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-280 doi:10.18418/978-3-96043-018-6
BibTeX | RIS
Katja Bender, Sonja Keller, Holger Willing:
The Role of International Policy Transfer and Diffusion for Policy Change in Social Protection – A Review of the State of the Art.
PDF Download urn:nbn:de:hbz:1044-opus-270 doi:10.18418/978-3-96043-017-9
BibTeX | RIS
Katja Bender, Markus Loewe, Esther Schüring:
One size fits all? Die Rolle der Sozialversicherung in Entwicklungsländern.
doi:10.1007/978-3-658-08840-8_67
BibTeX | RIS
2014
Katja Bender:
Nachhaltigkeit aus institutionenökonomischer Perspektive am Beispiel der Schiefergasförderung.
doi:10.5771/9783845255507_413
BibTeX | RIS
2013
Katja Bender, Markus Kaltenborn, Christian Pfleiderer (Hg.):
Social protection in developing countries: Reforming systems.
doi:10.4324/9780203082294
BibTeX | RIS
Katja Bender:
The political economy of social protection reforms in developing countries: What is to be explained and how?.
URL
BibTeX | RIS
2010
Katja Bender, Matthias Rompel:
Financial crisis and social protection reform - Brake or motor? An analysis of reform dynamics in Indonesia and Viet Nam.
BibTeX | RIS
2008
Katja Bender, Johanna Knöss:
Social Protection Reform in Indonesia – In Search of Universal Coverage.
BibTeX | RIS
Katja Bender:
The Role of Social Protection within a Social Market Economy.
BibTeX | RIS
Katja Bender:
Soziale Sicherung im Krankheitsfall für Mittellose.
doi:10.37307/j.2193-5661.2008.01.08
BibTeX | RIS
2006
Katja Bender:
Institutionelle Reformen für dezentrale Entwicklung: Die Rolle gemeinschaftsbasierter Organisationen am Beispiel kooperativer Versicherungsarrangements.
BibTeX | RIS
Further Information
