The Governing Council of the Institute of Local Governance Studies (ILGS) has appointed Dr. Nicholas Awortwi as the Institute’s new Director with effect from 3rd June 2019.
He holds a PhD Cum Laude (with Distinction) in Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University in the Netherlands. He is a professional development planner and an expert in local governance with 20 years experience in research, teaching and advisory services on decentralization and local governance, public policy and development management, social protection and inclusive development.
Prior to this appointment, Nicholas was the Director of African Governance Institute based in The Hague, Netherlands and also works for The International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University; The Hague Academy for Local Governance; The Dutch platform for Inclusive Development at the African Studies Centre of Leiden University; and a visiting lecturer at F.H.R Lim A Po School of Public Administration & Governance in Suriname.
From 2012 to 2016, Dr. Awortwi was the Director of Research at the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) in Nairobi, Kenya. He has led international studies on decentralization, public services provision, empowerment and accountability, urban governance, inclusive growth and employment creation in many African countries including Botswana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania, Mozambique, Benin, and Uganda.
From 2004 to 2012, he was a Senior Lecturer in Development Management at the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University, The Netherlands; and a visiting Lecturer at Urban Management Centre, Hanoi Architectural University, Vietnam. He has supervised over 60 Masters degree theses of students from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe and as external examiner for PhD candidates at Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex; University of Manchester, and University of Tilburg.
