The European Microfinance Platform and the University of Groningen organise the 2nd European Research Conference on Microfinance in Groningen, The Nertherlands.

Conference Theme
During the past fifteen years, microfinance programs have been introduced in many developing economies. It is estimated that currently there are some 10,000 microfinance institutions, they have between 150-200 million clients, lending around USD 25 billion. The enormous increase in microfinance programs is an immediate response to the almost universal idea that microcredit could and would be an important instrument to lift poor people, especially women, out of poverty. This positive picture about the impact of microcredit is supported by an enormous amount of anecdotes and simple empirical analyses. However, several recent studies seriously challenge the methodology and results of most of the existing empirical analyses. Empirical testing of the impact of microcredit appears to be very difficult and controversial. Fortunately, in the last few years, many new empirical analyses on the impact of microcredit have been started, using superior methodologies, often based on so-called randomized controlled trials. These studies definitely improve our understanding of the working of microcredit. Nevertheless, it is still far from clear to what extent microcredit can contribute to a reduction in world-wide poverty in the short or long run. Several other questions remain unanswered. Without trying to be exhaustive, we can point at the following controversies. Are microfinance programs financially sustainable so that they will be able to finance the poor in the near future? What role does the private sector, i.e. commercial banks, play in providing microfinance? What role does microfinance play in empowering women? What is the role of microinsurance and microsavings vis-à-vis microcredit? What is the impact of different governance mechanisms applied by microfinance institutions on their performance? How important is product innovation and technology for microfinance?

These and many other questions will be discussed during the SECOND EUROPEAN RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON MICROFINANCE , which will be held on 16-18 June 2011 in Groningen, The Netherlands. The conference aims to bring together researchers and practitioners working in the field of microfinance. The conference intends to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas between academics and practitioners in microfinance from commercial banks, development agencies, government agencies and persons interested in the issue of microfinance. The conference will be a three-day event and will include plenary panel discussions and parallel sessions during which research papers will be presented and discussed. For the panel discussion we will invite renowned speakers with an academic and practical background. Themes to be discussed during these panel discussions will be defined later.

On behalf of Triodos Facet, Klaas Molenaar is one of the key note speakers on microfinance and entrepreneurship.

Read more (speakers, programme, registration, etc.) and find more information also at www.microfinance2011.eu