Congratulations Laura Ansala from Aalto University
UniPID and the Finnish Society for Development Research gave the first ever Master's Award in Development Studies to Laura Ansala from Aalto University on Monday. The winning master's thesis in economics "Motives, channels and migration for remittances: Evidence from Uganda, Senegal and Nigeria" aimed at increasing knowledge about remittances being sent to the three countries.
The Finnish University Partnership for International Development – UniPID[1] and the Finnish Society for Development Research gave the first ever Master's Award in Development Studies to Laura Ansala from Aalto University on Monday. The first prize of 1000 euros was given to Ansala at the international Development Cooperation and Higher Education seminar in Hanasaari, Espoo. The winning master's thesis in economics "Motives, channels and migration for remittances: Evidence from Uganda, Senegal and Nigeria" aimed at increasing knowledge about remittances being sent to the three countries.
UniPID and the Finnish Society for Development Research received 30 applications in total, from which a selection board chose the winner. Adjunct professor from the University of Turku, Taimi Sitari, acted as the chair of the selection board and other members included emeritus professors Rauni Räsänen and Reijo E. Heinonen. In ranking the applications, the board focused especially on the innovativeness of the work as well as the applicability and effectiveness of the results.
According to the selection board, Ansala's thesis increased and deepened knowledge on migrants’ remittances, the remittance channels and on the motives for these. The board also found interesting the way in which Ansala examined choices made within families and her comparisons of the three African countries. The winning thesis was well-constructed, coherent and used logical argumenting. The board thought that the thesis could be used in practice in developing remittance services and in examining the potential that remittances have on development.
In addition to Ansala's thesis, two other accomplished theses received awards of 500 euros each. Johanna Turunen from the University of Eastern Finland came second in the competition with her history thesis "In the Face of Violence: Identity, Justification and the Individual in Rwanda". Third came Eeva Ruuska from the University of Helsinki with her developmental geography thesis "The Significance and Sustainability of Charcoal Production in the Changing Landscape of Dakatcha Woodland, SE Kenya".
From now on the award will be given annually to an accomplished Master's thesis related to global development or development studies.
