Published 2020-04-01

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Misum’s new Director to encourage change in society

From 1 May, Martina Björkman Nyqvist will head Misum, the Mistra Center for Sustainable Markets, with the aim of enhancing understanding of — and guiding the transition to — sustainable markets.

Martina Björkman Nyqvist, Associate Professor at the Department of Economics at the Stockholm School of Economics, is engaged in research mainly on issues relating to health, education and gender in developing countries. Her current research projects are in Uganda and India, and she has previously headed projects in Lesotho and Nigeria. Björkman Nyqvist was previously in charge of Misum’s ‘Human capital and sustainable development’ platform, which focuses on rigorous, quantitative research in health, education, environmental and gender issues in developing countries.

‘I look forward with excitement and pleasure to taking over as Misum’s leader, and to continuing both to develop its work of providing research-based knowledge of how we can create sustainable markets and systems, and to reach out in the best possible way to spread the research and knowledge to relevant interested parties in society.’

At New Year 2020, Misum entered Phase 2. The Center is now raising its ambitions to find solutions to social and environmental problems and foster change in society. Björkman Nyqvist relates that the aim is to focus even more on ensuring that the knowledge Misum generates is research-based. In this endeavour, Misum will interact more with researchers at the Stockholm School of Economics, by becoming more available at its various departments and research centres.

‘Phase 2 of Misum has established new research platforms, and new researchers are involved. Although we’re in a start-up phase in this work, it looks highly promising. The goal is to cooperate with various stakeholders in society, so that the knowledge and research we generate are relevant and topical for society’s transition to more sustainable markets,’ Björkman Nyqvist says.

Misum’s previous director, Mette Morsing, is taking up the appointment as head of the United Nations’ PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education) initiative, for the purpose of developing the sustainability profile of business schools and universities.

‘I’m proud of having headed Misum, and it has been a great privilege to be able to work with a team of dedicated colleagues at the Stockholm School of Economics,’ Morsing says.