Centre for European Research in Microfinance

The Centre for European Research in Microfinance (CERMi), based in Brussels is composed of three co-directors and eight Ph.D. students, with a network of more than twenty-five associate researchers. CERMi aims at developing suitable frameworks to critically examine existing microfinance practices and to promote academic research through the support of doctoral research programmes, international publications and the organization of workshops and seminars.

CERMi focuses his research on four specific microfinance areas:

• new products and innovation (remittances and money transfers, microinsurance and green microfinance).

• corporate governance (governance of savings and credit cooperatives and the influence of investment funds on the governance of microfinance organizations).

• public policy in microfinance (general development strategies and strategies supporting small rural micro-enterprises).

• ethical aspects of microfinance (the fairness of interest rates provided by microfinance institutions, the mission drift in microfinance and the right-based approach)