Research is coordinated by Helsinki-based staff consisting of eight resident researchers and 14 support staff. An external network of about five external project directors, each located at their university or institute, contribute to our current projects, along with over 300 network participants around the world. This group includes research staff from the UNU, UN and Bretton Woods institutions including the World Bank, IMF, ECLAC, UNDP, FAO, ILO, UNCTAD and UNICEF.

Visiting scholars typically spend two to three months in Helsinki working on topics related to the current research programme. We also cooperate with a worldwide network of associated institutions whose interests overlap with those of UNU-WIDER.

The internship programme allows PhD students in economics or related social sciences to spend two to three months at WIDER. About eight scholars participate in the scheme each year, most of them coming from developing countries.

Several Nobel laureates have been associated with UNU-WIDER activities, most especially
Amartya Sen, one of our founding fathers. Numerous contributions have come from other eminent scholars and policymakers throughout the developed and developing world.