Lisa Hagen joins Dullah Omar Institute on a two-month Secondment

Lisa Hagen, a research assistant at the Chair of Public Law, Business Administrative Law, Environmental Law and Social Law at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Munich, Germany, is conducting a two-month research stay with the Multilevel Government, Law and Development Unit at the Dullah Omar Institute.

Her secondment forms part of an international project Local Government and the Changing Urban-Rural Interplay which is part of the research program European Union’s Horizon 2020 – Marie Skłodowska-Curie RESEARCH AND INNOVATION STAFF EXCHANGE (RISE).

Lisa is also pursuing a PhD focusing on information claims of parliaments and local councils regarding public enterprises.

Lisa said the following about her stay:

“My time at the Dullah Omar Institute has been highly enriching, both professionally and personally. The seminars taught me a lot about the South African local government system. Together with Dr Andżelika Mirska from University of Warsaw in Poland, I had the pleasure of holding a seminar on local government from a comparative perspective, in which we explained the systems of local government in our respective countries. The professional exchange provided valuable insights into parallels and differences of the legal frameworks.

The time I have spent in the Mother City so far has taught me why Cape Town is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I experienced it as an urban metropolis that couldn't be more beautifully situated at the foot of Table Mountain and surrounded by two oceans, offering a wide range of art and culture, great gastronomy, nearby wine regions and much more that there is to discover. At the same time, I learned a lot about South Africa's turbulent history, what society has suffered but also overcome in the past and the countries problems today such as the unstable energy supply or the huge gap between rich and poor. I am eager to learn more about how today's issues are dealt with and also what role local governments can play in the process. I am grateful for all the new contacts I have made in such a short time and the new insights I have gained.”