CEDS understands the strategic importance of micro finance research for its potentials in poverty reduction in Indonesia. Last year, under the small research grant (SRG) scheme, CEDS funded a research on the application of impact evaluation to study the welfare effect of the access to various micro finance institutions (MFI). The paper is accepted for presentation at the Third European Research Conference on Microfinance, in Kristiansand, Norway to be held on 10-12 June, 2013.

The conference is a three-day event that includes plenary panel discussions and parallel sessions during which research papers will be presented and discussed. The panel discussion will include invited renowned speakers with an academic and practical background. The Norwegian Centre for Microfinance Research of the University of Adger will host the conference that aims to be the world’s most important meeting place of academics involved in microfinance research. The conference is also co-organized by The European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), a network  set up in order to strengthen the dialogue among European microfinance actors including universities and academics involved in microfinance research.

The conference to be attended by around 200 participants, The organizer have arranged 45-50 parallel sessions at the conference. CEDS’ paper entitled “Does Microfinance Institution Improve Welfare? A Double Difference Analysis of Indonesian Community-level Data” will be presented by CEDS researcher, Heriyaldi on the parallel session on Impact Evaluation of Micro Finance Institutions. Other papers to be presented in the session includes  “Evaluating the Performance of Microfinance Programs by Measuring Changes in Income and Capital Scales” by Christopher C. King (Saint Louis University, USA); “Determinants of Performance in the Microfinance Industry: The Role of Culture”, by Ronny Manos (The College of Management, Israel), and “Qualitative Economic Impact Evaluation in Microfinance: The Use of Diary Methods”, Hayyan Alia (University of Franche-Comté and Burgundy School of Business, France).

More info about the conference: link

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