Professor Roy Mersland at the University of Agder (UiA) is now ranked as the leading researcher in the world in the field of microfinance.
The ranking was conducted by ScholarGPS, which evaluated over 6,000 researchers in the field. The assessments are based on the number of publications. Additionally, research quality was measured using something called the h-index. This is a metric that shows how frequently a researcher's publications are cited by other researchers.
"This doesn't mean all that much to me personally, but recognition is always nice. It also gives me a bigger platform with more opportunities to influence, which also means more responsibility," says Mersland.
International perspective
Microfinance is the world's largest banking market, measured by the number of customers. As director of UiA's Center for Research on Social Enterprises and Microfinance (CERSEM), Mersland focuses on bringing research to areas where knowledge is most needed.
"I know, for example, that many thousands of bachelor's and master's students in Africa study microfinance. I'm eager to share my articles beyond Western research settings. If I can contribute knowledge where it's most needed, it's incredibly meaningful," says the professor, who recently taught on a doctoral programme in Uganda.
Mersland has built his position through an extensive international research network. He is a member of the research groups at the European Microfinance Platform and the Centre for European Research in Microfinance (CERMi) in Belgium and has experience from more than 20 countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.
Besides his research work at UiA, Mersland is a part-time professor at Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management. He was also one of the founders of Banco D-MIRO, an Ecuadorian bank specializing in microfinance.
Successful collaborations
In relation to the ranking, Mersland highlights the importance of collaboration:
"This recognition reflects not only my work but also the incredible collaboration I've had with many co-authors. I'm also deeply thankful for the support from the School of Business and Law at UiA, which has provided me with an excellent environment for research and growth."
Although he now tops the ranking, Mersland emphasizes that Professor Jonathan Morduch at the New York Stern School of Business is still the person he regards as foremost in the field:
"His groundbreaking work has fundamentally shaped our understanding of microfinance," Mersland says.