2011

A number of factors are undermining quality of life in Palestine, the Israeli occupation being the main one. In order to have a high quality of life, you need hope for the future.

Living in a slum has never been easy. A filthy environment, poor housing, the chaotic dumping of garbage, disposal of waste and a range of other challenges. Can African architect students solve the various difficulties arising from the rapid population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa?

A research collaboration between Mozambique and Norway aims to improve the everyday lives of rural villagers by the use of solar energy.

It has been said that it is hard for a foreigner to capture the Russian soul. The Russian sense of melancholy is not personal, but more of a public or social mood, a feeling of loss and a strong collective sense of being the people who carries the cross, through revolutions, upheavals and suffering, on behalf of the world.

In the third largest democracy in the world, Indonesia, democracy is rooted in the political elite rather than in the people.

David Cameron and his government have set out on a mission to measure the wellbeing of the British people in the hope of using the results for policy purposes.

Nordic people are the epitome of happiness and satisfaction. Why is that?

Not only does volunteering have a positive impact on society; research shows that people who volunteer are happier than others. Social relations are important for happiness.

Domestic violence and divorce are increasing in Palestine, as are the level of crime and child abuse. A Master’s programme in psychology has been established with Norwegian partners to address the serious problems.

Living under occupation reduces quality of life. Being the occupier does not affect quality of life at all. This appears to be the case with the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

After decades of civil war in Sudan, followed by six years of peace and semi-autonomy for the southern part of the country, the people of southern Sudan voted yes to secession from Sudan. A new independent African state was born on 9 July 2011.

The University of Juba is in the process of relocating from Khartoum to Juba. The main challenge is to fit the large number of students and staff into the old university structure, according to Faiza A. Ali.