Greetings!
The Global Network of Master's in Development Practice (MDP) Programs continues to expand! We are pleased to welcome our five newest members:
- BRAC, Bangladesh
- University of California at Davis, USA
- CATIE, Costa Rica
- University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
- University of Waterloo, Canada
These academic institutions will offer MDP programs, provide MDP field training experiences, or offer MDP faculty and student exchange opportunities to members of the Global Network.
In this issue we have an article by Professor Ulrich Schmitt, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Director of the MDP program at the University
of Botswana, where he discusses the unique characteristics of their MDP program.
In addition to highlighting University of Botswana's MDP program, the 24 students of Columbia University's MDP program will share, in their own words, their experiences in the
classroom, on campus and beyond. They will use this forum to not only
keep readers informed of Columbia's MDP program, but will also use this opportunity to reflect upon their experiences. For this first article they will tell you a little bit about who they are, where they come from and how their first semester is coming along.
With Warm Regards,
lucia.
Lucia Rodriguez
Director of the MDP Secretariat
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Botswana
is widely regarded as an exceptional African success story. As UNDP observed:
"For Botswana, the Millennium Development Goals are a concept that resonates so
well with the country's development ideals as espoused in the National Vision
2016, a development ideal which pre-dates the MDGs by some two years,
articulates Botswana's long-term development aspirations and provides a broad
framework for development. The aspirations of Vision 2016 and the MDGs are
complementary and therefore none needs to be promoted at the detriment of the
other" [www.unbotswana.org.bw/undp/mdg.html].
 "The
MDGs and the pillars of Vision 2016 require a broader relevance in the
University graduates" accentuates also Prof. B. K. Otlhogile, Vice
Chancellor of the University of Botswana, "we believe that our
graduates need to leave UB fully knowing they are a part of the wider African
and global citizenship. The Master's in Development Practice will help achieve
this aim and provides an exceptional opportunity to further promote both
agendas."
However,
UB's MDP framework will considerably differ from the other selected programs
(delivered in 25-27 months of full-time study) by integrating a compulsory
in-company research project and by its modular delivery. Considering that
Botswana has a population of 1.8 million dispersed over a territory of around
600,000 km2 (combined area of Germany and UK), UB's MDP will allow for
professional capacity development for participants living outside the capital's
catchment area, from Botswana as well as from other member states of the
Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The MDP
will be based on eight intensive residential modules and two practical
placements with an opportunity to participate in a field-training programme to
be set up in collaboration with the University of Florida at UB's Harry
Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre (HOORC). The latter utilises HOORC's
comprehensive know-how and unique location, the gateway to the Okavango Delta
and Moremi Game Reserve, in order to focus on the local development and
conservation issues and to reflect the political, managerial, and practical
dimensions in the region of Ngamiland and Maun, its administrative centre and
tourism capital of Botswana.
By fully
complying with the Commission's recommendations and international accreditation
requirements, UB's MDP program comprises a total of 21 weeks of residential
lecture requirements in Gaborone and Maun, demanding 8 visits over a time span
of 2.5 years. All modules are self-contained to create convenient one-visit
exchange opportunities for MDP network staff and students and early programme
accreditation in Europe will provide an internationally accepted currency of
recognised credits devoid of bureaucratic hurdles concerning course recognitions.
With this framework, UB also hopes to encourage many of the international
volunteers in Botswana interested in further studies to participate in the MDP
programme, fully or partially.
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In Their Words: Columbia University MDP Students
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The first global MDP program was launched August 2009 at
Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). This
trailblazing cohort is representative of the MDP program's global nature,
coming from a wide range of countries including China, South Korea, Japan, India,
Kenya, Senegal, Colombia, Guatemala, Ecuador, South Africa, Ireland and the
United States. We have all had experience volunteering, studying or
working around the globe, taking us to places such as Cambodia, Nicaragua,
Brazil, Botswana, Tanzania, South Africa, Thailand and El Salvador.
Our classmates bring a wealth of perspectives and accomplishments from a
diversity of disciplines. Many in the program have advanced degrees in fields
such as economics, mathematics, law and education. We also represent a
wide range of professional work experience in engineering, business,
philanthropy, health, education and government. Our diverse backgrounds
enrich the learning environment; we are often our own best resources as we
learn from each other's experiences with implementing projects in microfinance,
working on political campaigns or holding leadership positions in non-profits.
Our learning environment is set
up to reflect the interdisciplinary approach envisioned by the MDP program. Our
first semester began with Statistics and Economics - required coursework for
all SIPA first year students - where we are gaining the analytical skills that
are vital for understanding the development realities that we study in other
classes. We are seeing these realities in country-specific case studies
which are core features of both Global Public Health and the Global Classroom:
Integrated Approaches to Sustainable Development, our other two required
courses. In both of these courses we look at how socioeconomic, environmental
and political factors affect development outcomes. Global Public Health looks
specifically at how health systems have evolved, while the Global Classroom
challenges us to look at the interplay between sectors in order to create
multidimensional solutions within a localized context. The integration of
disciplines and worldviews in the Global Classroom can also be seen in the
electives our peers have chosen to take: New Media, Environmental Science,
Economic World Systems, Education in Emergencies and more.
On top of the five classes most students are taking, we have a plethora of
other engaging events to choose from each week. We meet each Friday for a
MDP seminar which brings leading practitioners in for candid talks about the
projects they are working on as well as the course of their own professional
development. The Earth Institute also hosts weekly lectures, in which we learn
from leading EI researchers about their latest projects and findings. And of
course, Columbia University offers a wealth of relevant seminars, lectures,
conferences and other special events every day.
As busy as we are, we are absolutely thrilled to be part of the new Global
Master's in Development Practice, and we look forward to sharing that
excitement with you in the coming months!
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For more information,
please contact:
The Global Master's in Development Practice Secretariat
The Earth Institute
Columbia University
Email: mdp-info@ei.columbia.edu
Website: www.mdp.ei.columbia.edu
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The Great Generalists
By: John W. McArthur
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The 21st century will see a
most delicate dance between the new technical specialists and the
non-technicians who must master them.
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10th Annual
Delhi Sustainable Development Summit
February 5 - 7th
New Delhi, India
First Annual
Global MDP Network Meeting
February 2010
New Delhi, India
Write us if you are interested in participating:
mdp-info@ei.columbia.edu
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Our Rapidly Expanding Global Network
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BRAC (Dhaka, Bangladesh)
CATIE (Turrialba, Costa Rica)
Columbia University
(New York, USA)
Emory University
(Atlanta, USA)
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) University (New Delhi, India)
James Cook University (Cairns and Townsville, Australia)
Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin (Dublin, Ireland)
Tsinghua University
(Beijing, China)
University of Botswana (Gaborone, Botswana)
University of Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD)
(Dakar, Senegal)
University of California, Davis (Davis, USA)
University of Denver (Denver, USA)
University of Florida (Gainesville, USA)
University of Ibadan
(Ibadan, Nigeria)
University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, USA)
University of Peradeniya (Peradeniya, Sri Lanka)
University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
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