Dr. Franz Ferdinand Rothe

Dr. Franz-Ferdinand Rothe is a visiting professor at the Department of Communication Studies of VUB and a senior researcher at imec-SMIT Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where he is a member of the Digital Inclusion and Citizen Engagement unit. His PhD in Communication Studies, which he earned at VUB, focused on digital inequalities in ICT for Development within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining SMIT, he gained extensive experience in the international development sector, inter alia holding positions at the UN Secretariat in New York, Mekong Institute in Thailand, and ECDPM in the Netherlands.

His research focuses on digital inequalities and digital inclusion, examining the relationship between the digitalization of society and social inequalities. His work furthermore centres around inclusive digital transformation and explores the future of the Sustainable Development Goals in the context of an increasingly digital world.

Franz is currently involved in several projects, including the EU-funded CLIMAS project, as well as the Engage SDG project, which aims to support participatory approaches for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.