5th European Research Conference on Microfinance | University of Portsmouth | 12 June 2017 | Portsmouth, England

inancial inclusion has become a reality for many poor and low income populations in developing countries as suggested by the most recent data from the Global Findex survey. Microfinance has played a key role in this regard, with the Microcredit Summit Campaign Report 2015 estimating that 3,098 microfinance institutions (MFIs) lent to more than 211 million borrowers across the world by the end of 2013. While microfinance is now approaching forty years of age, there is still much to do if poor and low income households are to be effectively integrated both from a financial and social perspectives.

The 5th European Research Conference on Microfinance will draw together ideas from Europe and beyond which tackle the inclusion problem. How do MFIs ensure they reach the financially excluded? How can microfinance products be tailored to meet the specific needs of different groups amongst the financially excluded? How can new instruments as agent banking and mobile money be put at the service of the poor? How can the microfinance sector keep its identity as a relevant development tool while facing ‘old’ problems (poverty, gender discrimination, client over-indebtedness, etc.) as well as new challenges such as the impact of climate change and the refugee crises? Research has a crucial role in addressing these questions.

Christoph Pausch
European Microfinance Platform, Luxembourg

Professor Marek Hudon
CERMi and Université Libre Bruxelles, Belgium

Professor Dirk Zetzsche
University of Luxembourg

Kimanthi Mutua
Sidian Bank, Kenya

Sam Mendelson
Financial Inclusion Forum UK

Dr. Amjad Saqib
Akhuwat, Pakistan

Dr. Ajaz Khan
CARE International UK

Professor Malcolm Harper
Cranfield School of Management, UK

Professor Habib Ahmed
University of Durham, UK

Dr. Mohammed Kroessin
Islamic Relief Worldwide

Dr. Annette Krauss
University of Zurich, Switzerland

Professor Isabelle Guerin
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, France

Dr Susan Johnson
University of Bath, UK

Dr. Supriya Garikipati
University of Liverpool, UK

Professor Ariane Szafarz
CERMi and Université Libre Bruxelles, Belgium

Professor Tyler Wry
University of Pennsylvania, USA

Professor Roy Mersland
University of Agder, Norway

Professor Arvind Ashta
Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Burgundy School of Business – CEREN, France

Dr. Phil Mader
Institute of Development Studies University of Sussex, UK

Niall Dennehy
Aid:Tech, Dublin, Ireland

Gunnar Camner
GSMA, London, UK

Wei Wu
University of Birmingham, UK

Fiona Jarden
CARE International UK

Robert Lensink
University of Groningen, Netherlands

Professor Marc Labie
CERMi and University of Mons, Belgium

Professor James Copestake
University of Bath, UK

Dr. Maren Duvendak
University of East Anglia, UK

Maude Massu
Financial Inclusion Forum UK

Lucia Spaggiari
Social Performance Task Force

Grzegorz Galusek
Microfinance Centre, Poland

University of Portsmouth
CERMi
EUROPEAN MICROFINANCE PLATFORM
Financial Inclusion Forum
music.fusion
lendwithcare.org
SAM African Microfinance Week
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