Dr. Pia Hollenbach

Senior researcher with the University of Lausanne and a freelance researcher and consultant based in Zurich/Switzerland and Vorarlberg/Austria. A development geographer by training (University of Heidelberg) with hands-on experience on promoting local partnerships for sustainable development, her career has been guided by a motivation to co-create knowledge and learning processes to find contextualized and relevant solutions for complex development problems. She believes in action-oriented, interdisciplinary research and the bridging of theory and practice. Dr Hollenbach aims to support policy and programme work, evidence-based political dialogue and the quality improvement of international aid. Her recent research project funded by SNSF on “Urban Solid Waste Management in South Asia” aims to understand culturally appropriate and locally based waste management systems evaluating their relevance, effectiveness and potentials to support and formulate inclusive Waste governance systems. Furthermore, the research targets to inform policies towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals globally, particular Goal 11 (sustainable cities and communities); Goal 13 (Climate Action) and Goal 17 (Partnerships for Change).

Pia is an expert evaluator of local partner organisations in the field of development with hands-on experience in practice and research. She executed evaluations, planned and implemented development projects, and conducted extensive qualitative research. The red thread of her life is: bridge sectors, connect people, bring potentials together, improve partnerships, and enhance exchange and co-creation processes.