Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies

Victoria Institute of

Strategic Economic Studies

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The Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies (VISES) was established as the Centre for Strategic Economic Studies (CSES) at Victoria University, Melbourne, in 1993, and is now one of the leading applied economic research groups in Australia. Its research output is of high quality and is influential at both national and international levels. VISES is now part of the Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities. In 2018, VISES received funding from the Victorian State Government to establish the Victoria Energy Policy Centre (VEPC), to investigate policy challenges in energy in Australia, with a particular focus on Victoria. VEPC's core research discipline is economics, but collaboration is encouraged between experts from different academic traditions. VEPC combines academically rigorous research and analysis, with a practical understanding of government processes. Funding for VEPC has been extended to 2022. About us
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2024 We are very sad to let all our colleagues and friends know that Neelam Maharaj, senior researcher at VISES, died on Monday evening this week. While we have known for some time that she was seriously ill, her death came as a shock to us all. She had been working hard on our ongoing project on adolescent well-being globally up until last week, being undertaken for WHO and the Program for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health. Neelam was a remarkable woman, showing immense courage through her life and final illness. She displayed a great ability to cover a wide range of academic literature and to write about it elegantly, in part reflecting the fact that she had also published a distinguished novel. She will be sorely missed by many, as a mother, grandmother, colleague and friend. 2023 *New project commissioned by PMNCH* VISES was commissioned by the PMNCH to provide an investment case for investing in adolescent wellbeing. The executive summary was presented at the Global Forum for Adolescents held on 11–12 October 2023. The full report will be published by the WHO and presented at the World Health Assembly in May 2024. View details. *GPA webinar on VISES Syria report* Bruce Rasmussen presents Syria report findings at Global Partnership for Education webinar (Washington DC,June 2023). View project details. *Final UNFPA Viet Nam report launched* UNFPA in Vietnam launched a report on investing in HPV vaccination for women and girls in Viet Nam. View details. *New project commissioned by WHO EMRO* VISES was commissioned by the Eastern Mediterraneand WHO office to developing an investment case for polio transition in the region. View details. 2022 *WHO investment case report released* VISES was commissioned by the WHO to provide an investment case for increasing WHO funds. The final report was released in May 2022. Press release. View details. *FIA Foundation report launched* VISES report on youth road accidents was launched in London in June 2022. Press release.View details *Report for UNICEF Syria* Research on the cost of not investing in adolescents' education in Syria was released on 18 October 2022. View details 2021 *Valuing vaccines report 2021* VISES participated in the research on ensuring access to vaccines in Australia for Shawview Consulting.The report was released in February 2022. View details. *Journal article in Journal of Global Health Reports 2021* Evaluating interventions to reduce child marriage in India By B. Rasmussen, N. Maharaj, A. Karan, J. Symons, S. Selvaraj, R. Kumar, M. Kumnick and P. Sheehan *Funding for VEPC* The Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning has extended funding for VEPC for 2021-2022. *VU funded report 2021* Researchers at VISES have published a report on post-bushfire recovery in the Gippsland fires of 2019/2020. Growing the Seeds: Recovery, Strength and Capability in Gippsland Communities See news in The Conversation. 3 BNHCRC final reports released Bushfire and Natural Hazard CRC publishes 3 VISES reports. Diversity and Inclusion: Building Strength and Capability: Final Report. Building Inclusive Partnerships with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities. Young People and the Emergency Services: Working Towards Inclusive Partnerships. 2020 USCC launches VISES report 2020 Increasing Social and Economic Benefits Globally Rates of Return on Health Investments The US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Initiative on Health and the Economy (GIHE) in Washington DC released the report at the 2020 Annual Concordia Summit (21-25 September 2020), which found that countries would on average realize a return of $20 in increased GDP growth for every $1 invested in cardiovascular disease and diabetes interventions. See USCC press release. See newsGP article. View details. VISES research in UNFPA SWOP 2020 VISES research contributed to a chapter on child marriage in the recently released UNFPA publication. State of the World Population Report 2020: Against my Will. News coverage on VISES/UNFPA project on cost of eliminating child marriage Targeted interventions can improve world's most vulnerable Effect of COVID-19 on eliminating child marriage Millions more cases of violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation, unintended pregnancy expected due to the COVID-19 pandemic.	2020-2021 VISES PROJECTS *China’s Development Finance, Growth Models and Sustainable Development 2020-21* Funded by Ford Foundation View details. *Development of the Investment Case to Reduce Road Traffic Injuries among Adolescents 2020-21* Funded by FIA Foundation View details. Syria Education and Development Investment Case [SEDIC] Technical Note: Economic, social and psychological costs and risks resulting from ‘not-investing in education systems in the Syrian Arab Republic 2020-21 Funded by UNICEF Syria View details. *Investment Case Study on HPV Vaccination in Viet Nam 2020-21* Funded by UNFPA Viet Nam View details. *Investing in Women’s Sight: Benefits across Generations 2020-23* Funded by Fred Hollows Foundation View details. 2019-2023 VISES JOURNAL ARTICLES Identifying and Attributing Regime Shifts in Australian Fire Climates. By R. Jones and J. Ricketts 2023 Four powerful reasons for increasing investment in adolescents and their wellbeing By D.A. Ross, H.S. Friedman, D, Welch, N.S. Kaoma, R. Bhushan and B. Rasmussen 2022 Regime changes in atmospheric moisture under climate change By R.N. Jones and J.H. Ricketts 2022 Evaluating interventions to reduce child marriage in India By B. Rasmussen, N. Maharaj, A. Karan, J. Symons,S. Selvaraj, R. Kumar, M. Kumnick, and P. Sheehan, P. 2021 The role of the Basic Public Health Service program in the control of hypertension in China: Results from a cross-sectional health service interview survey By J. Qin, Y. Zhang, M. Fridman, K. Sweeny, L. Zhang, C. Lin, and L. Mao 2021 UNFPA project papers published in special issue of Journal of Adolescent Health 2019 Employment and productivity benefits of enhanced educational outcomes: a preliminary modelling approach By P. Sheehan and H. Shi Evaluating the employment benefits of education and targeted interventions to reduce child marriage By B. Rasmussen, N. Maharaj, P. Sheehan, and H. Friedman A health-system based investment case for adolescent health By K. Sweeny, H. Friedman, P. Sheehan, M. Fridman and H. Shi Better secondary schooling outcomes for adolescents in low- and middle-income countries: projections of cost-effective approaches By A. Wils, P. Sheehan and H. Shi Reduced road traffic injuries for young people: a preliminary investment analysis By J. Symons, E. Howard, K. Sweeny, M. Kumnick, P. Sheehan This Special Issue was tabled by the UNFPA in mid July 2019 at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, with copies being distributed to Ministers and others. This Forum is the UN's central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, and provides for the full and effective participation of all States Members of the United Nations and States members of specialized agencies. 2018 JOURNAL ARTICLES Nature 2018 Adolescence and the next generation By G. Patton et al. The Lancet 2018 Investing in non-communicable diseases: An estimation of the return on investment for prevention and treatment services By M.Y. Bertram, K. Sweeny, J.A. Lauer, D. Chisholm, P. Sheehan, B. Rasmussen, S,R, et al. 2017 JOURNAL ARTICLE *The Lancet 2017* A VISES team in conjunction with UNFPA published research, in The Lancet, that found investing in adolescent health and education could bring 10-fold economic benefit. This investment will not only transform the lives of girls and boys around the world, but will also generate high economic returns, especially in low income countries. Building the foundations for sustainable development: A case for global investment in the capabilities of adolescents By P. Sheehan, K. Sweeny, B. Rasmussen et al. 2017. Read the analysis in The Lancet.	OTHER RECENT VISES PROJECTS *Cost of Eliminating Child Marriage and Intimate Partner Violence 2019-20* Funded by UNFPA View details. *Understanding Experiences and Recovery Capabilities of Diverse Communities in Gippsland Post 2019-20* Funded by Victoria University View details. Cost Benefit Analysis of Health Interventions to Improve Labour Productivity in China 2019-20 Funded by US Chamber of Commerce View details. Reimagining the Workforce: Building Smart, Sustainable, Safe Public Transport 2019-20 Funded by Dept of Transport (Vic) and Rail Manufacturing CRC View details. WorkWell Evaluation: Measuring Cost Effectiveness and Return on Investment of the WorkWell Program 2019-20 Funded by WorkSafe Victoria View details. ACIAR Monograph 207: Enabling Policies for Developing Smallholder Agriculture in Pakistan 2019 Funded by Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research View details. Building Strength and Capability Through Diversity 2017-2019 Funded by the Bushfire Natural Hazard CRC View details. Investment Framework Case Study: Estimating the Impacts and Opportunity Costs of Social Sector Investments for Adolescents (10–19 years) in Burundi 2019 Funded by UNFPA Burundi View details. A Case for National Investment in Adolescent Health and Wellbeing in India 2018 Funded by UNFPA View details. Scoping Study: Costs of Climate Change Impacts on the Social Determinants of Health and Wellbeing 2017 Funded by Dept of Health and Human Services (Vic) View details. Regional and Sectoral Vulnerability Assessment for Victoria Phase I 2017 Funded by Dept of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (Vic) View details. Developing Robust Indicators for Valuing Laneway Greening 2017 Funded by City of Melbourne View details. Survey on Human Resources per Household: Timor-Leste 2017 Funded by Government of Timor Leste View details.
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