Independent and not-for-profit, FERDI provides a forum for reflection and discussion by welcoming expertise from both the Global North and Global South. It advocates for vulnerable countries in shaping the international architecture for development financing, and contributes its expertise to the formulation of public policies that promote sustainable and inclusive development.
Through events, seminars, training courses, publications, and the creation of innovative indicators, FERDI contributes to the evolution of ideas on important and diverse topics. These include criteria for the geographical allocation of aid, how to deal with the vulnerability of economies and the fragility of states, the effectiveness of international policies implemented in favour of the least developed countries, and ways to reconcile trade policies with climate and environmental protection.
FERDI's publications are supported by the French government under the Plan d'investissement France 2030, reference ANR-16-IDEX-0001.
FERDI, the Foundation for Studies and Research on International Development was created in 2003 at the initiative of CERDI, the Center for Studies and Research on International Development. CERDI is the leading French research institution in development issues and remains a key scientific partner of FERDI. Patrick Guillaumont is the founder and President of FERDI.
↪ Promote excellence in French-speaking research on international development economics
↪ Inform public and private sector decision-making on sustainable development
↪ Support the training and capacity-building of managers and civil servants in developing countries.
The Clermont-Ferrand International Development Hub (Pôle clermontois de développement international – PCDI) serves as a collaborative platform focusing on research, training, capacity building, policy dialogue, and global cooperation for sustainable development. It provides a vital forum for reflection and exchange, welcoming expertise from both Northern and Southern perspectives. The PCDI plays a unique role in shaping global policies and fostering local solutions to contemporary challenges in sustainable development amidst a shifting geopolitical landscape.
This initiative is a result of collaboration between 3 institutions dedicated to international development: FERDI, CERDI, and Global Development Network (GDN). It receives support from the French government (Ministry of the Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, through the French Development Agency), as well as from local and regional authorities (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Puy-de-Dôme department, Clermont Auvergne Métropole), Université Clermont Auvergne, and the Michelin Corporate Foundation.
On 4 April 2024, the PCDI was officially inaugurated in the presence of Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, Secretary of State for Development and International Partnerships; William Roos, Head of the Multilateral Affairs and Development Department at the French Treasury; Rémy Rioux, Managing Director of the Agence française de développement; Florent Menegaux, Chairman of Michelin Group; Mathias Bernard, President of the Université de Clermont Auvergne; and representatives from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Puy-de-Dôme department and Clermont Auvergne Métropole.
FERDI plays a significant role in shaping the scientific policy of the Clermont-Ferrand region through its collaboration with the new Université de Clermont Auvergne, an experimental public institution leading the I-Site CAP 20-25 initiative of excellence.
The Université de Clermont Auvergne unites all higher education and research stakeholders on its campus: EPSTs, schools, CHU (teaching hospitals), CROUS (student services), research centres, foundations, and major companies like Michelin and Limagrain.
CAP 20-25 I-Site designates Université de Clermont Auvergne as one of France's 17 universities of excellence with a robust international strategy.
FERDI contributes to this collective effort through its leadership of the IDGM+ project (Initiative for Development and Global Governance), a labex established in 2011 to advance sustainable development policies based on research. IDGM+ operates in partnership with CERDI (Centre d'études et de recherches sur le développement international - UMR UCA-CNRS-IRD) and the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI).
Through IDGM+, FERDI brings its extensive international expertise as a think tank to support public policy development.
In 2023, institutional changes at Université de Clermont Auvergne expanded the board responsible for managing all CAP 20-25 excellence programs. FERDI holds a seat on this expanded board.
FERDI's commitment to the Clermont-Ferrand site is further underscored by the establishment of the PCDI.
