International Development Research and Study Opportunities

What is International Development and What Do Development Practitioners Do?

International development is a comprehensive term mainly meaning the aid that governments of developed countries allocate to eradicating poverty and inequality, ensuring sustainable economic growth and promoting democracy building in less-developed countries.

Academic programs on international development and related disciplines, e.g. management of development or economics of development, put a lot of emphasis on such courses as planning and implementing strategies, monitoring and evaluation, communications, advocacy and community mobilization, youth and women empowerment, etc. The graduate courses on international development aim to deliver knowledge on strategies, goals and policies of governments, international organizations and non-profits bringing aid to less advantaged countries. The main questions to answer are: is international aid always about development or do international donors promise sustainability, when bringing funds to developing countries?

Development is about progress, change and people. What development practitioners do is fostering change at the grassroots level with people, who want to change their lives. Development is about educating and motivating. The graduate degree in international development promises an excellent career for those, looking to pursue international career and bring their knowledge and expertise to developing or underdeveloped regions.

Human Development Report to lead development efforts

Assessing the effectiveness of international development programs is even more important to accumulate lessons learned and plan further interactions. Human Development Report is an attempt to assess the progress towards a set of milestones, established by various governments. The ultimate goal for producing this annual report, covering more than 180 countries, is to provide research-based data to improve the quality of international aid. Human Development Index was created to establish the criteria for assessing development results and directing new policies.

How Can ARMACAD Database Help?

ARMACAD is a valuable resource for people motivated to learn how to lead international development and bring progress to people. It’s database of graduate programs, fellowships, conferences and trainings will help to find the best opportunities worldwide to learn and share.