Moving forward with the Yunus Centre

Building A Yunus Centre: One Of Only Three In The World

The development of the Yunus Centre for Social Business in Health is well underway following the appointment of Professor Cam Donaldson in May 2010. In his Inaugural Lecture entitled “Markets and Health in the home of Smith and Yunus” Professor Donaldson addressed some of the key research issues related to health economics. In his Inaugural address Professor Donaldson focused on the works of Adam Smith and Professor Muhammad Yunus in conjunction with the investment made in health care in Glasgow and the UK, and the research that will be carried out at the new Yunus Centre of Social Business and health at GCU.

In the coming months GCU’s Yunus Centre will focus on:

• Reviewing and classifying the literature on the impact of microcredit on health and well-being.
• Reviewing different theoretical perspectives on microcredit with a view to constructing an evaluation framework.
• Interviewing microcredit providers (past and present, failed and successful) to ascertain what works well and less-well in this area.

A project to evaluate the Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing in Dhaka is also on the list of priorities to be carried out by the Yunus Centre.

The team at the Yunus Centre is growing, with the addition of Dr Rachel Baker, a Reader in Health Economics, as well as the newest recruit, Neil McHugh, taking up the post of Yunus Intern. Neil has completed his MSc in International Finance and Economic Policy at Glasgow University. During his course he touched upon microfinance which prompted an interest in Professor Muhammad Yunus’ work and the Grameen Trust. His duties will focus on searching and classifying literature on microcredit and health with the aim of aiding future research grant applications.

Professor Donaldson is in discussion with colleagues at the Yunus Centre at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok. Both Centres aim to assist one another with the development of research programmes in their respective countries. He is also keen to work with experts in his field elsewhere and at GCU including Research Fellow, Morag Gillespie and Lecturer, Stephan Sinclair, both from the Scottish Poverty Information Unit based in the School of Law and Social Sciences. Professor Donaldson said:

“There’s a lot of collaborative potential, and I’m keen to create a multi-disciplinary team working on the Yunus agenda that will bring together expertise on wider issues such as financial exclusion and poverty. Likewise, there is a lot we can contribute to collaborative evaluations of effectiveness and efficiency of interventions being assessed by researchers around the University in nursing, midwifery and allied health professions.”

Professor Donaldson is optimistic that the goals of the Yunus Centre will be achieved and stated: “The best thing would be able to look back in 10 years time and say that GCU-led research played a part in improving the wellbeing of the UK’s most disadvantaged communities. That would be immensely satisfying.”

View the full Inaugural lecture

For more information on the Yunus Centre please email cam.donaldson@gcu.ac.uk