UNU-MERIT is a research and training centre of United Nations University and the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands. UNU-MERIT examines the mechanisms governing the development and diffusion of technological innovations. The total staff, including PhD research fellows is about 55. UNU-MERIT’s activities cover academic research, PhD training, degree courses at the Faculty, contract research, developing scenarios, strategies and future visions, and last but not least providing input for policies at the regional, national and European levels.
UNU-MERIT's research programme is organised around five research themes: Micro-based evidence research on innovation and technological change; The role of technology in growth and development; Knowledge and industrial dynamics; Innovation, entrepreneurship and development; The governance of science technology and innovation. UNU-MERIT develops new knowledge, concepts, analyses and recommendations for policy-makers in search of a response to these governance issues.

Previous experience:
UNU-MERIT has been involved in a long list of relevant projects including the European-wide analysis of policy mixes for R&D, ERAWATCH: intelligence service for R&D policies in Europe; European Innovation Trend chart and Scoreboard; Strategic Evaluation on Innovation and the Knowledge Based Economy in relation to the Structural and Cohesion Funds for the programming period 2007-2013; National Strategy for scientific and technological development and innovation and a programme of its implementation (Bulgaria); Network indicators: Science, Technology and Innovation, etc.

source: project partner description