International Development and Cooperation Course

The Department of International Development (DID) and the Department of International Cooperation Studies (DICOS) of the Graduate School of International Development (GSID) at Nagoya University jointly offer a graduate program in international development and cooperation. The program aims at equipping graduate students with knowledge of a wide range of development issues pertaining to developing countries and the practices of international development cooperation (i.e., development literacy), and capabilities and skills to contribute to solving such development issues (i.e., professional minimums). The program has the following key features

1. The goal of the program is to train future development professionals by imparting knowledge and understanding of the realities of the development world, and by providing students with skills and competence to work in bilateral and multilateral organizations in the field of international development and cooperation as well as in a variety of other related professional fields. Thus, the program draws on a model of T-shape education, which stresses breadth of knowledge and understanding of development issues (i.e., development literacy) and depth of knowledge in one’s chosen field of specialization.

2. The “development literacy” component of the program provides students with a basic knowledge of development studies, which is interdisciplinary in nature, through courses such as Introduction to International Development. Drawing on Japanese development experience, it provides alternative perspectives which differ from the conventional development theories developed largely on the Western model of development.

3. The field of development studies is concerned with many dimensions of development such as economic development, poverty alleviation, social development and human development. It entails a close connection between theories and practices, as the objects of research lie in the realities of developing countries and the results of research must also be fed into practices.Therefore, the program places strong emphasis on the following four practices.

• 1) fieldwork in developing countries,
• 2) exchange with scholars, development professionals and students from developing countries,
• 3) reflective education directly linked with development practices, and
• 4)overseas training and internships.
  The program therefore offers courses and support systems to avail the following opportunities to students:
• 1) Subjects such as Overseas Fieldwork and Domestic Fieldwork as part of the curriculum are a unique feature of our program;
• 2) Internship opportunities are provided by Japanese international development organizations such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Government of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and NGOs, as well as by international organizations such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the United Nations Development Program, (UNDP), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF);
• 3) While pursuing a degree at GSID, students may study abroad, often in universities with which GSID has academic exchange agreements.

4. With respect to the course’s “professional minimum” component, 6 programs are offered after completing the development literacy component. These six programs are: Economic Development Policy and Management, Rural and Regional Development Management, Education and Human Resource Development, Governance and Law, Peace building, and Social Development and Culture. In these six specialized programs, students take a variety of subjects based on relevant disciplines and deepen their knowledge in their chosen field of specialization through participating in weekly seminars and writing a master’s thesis. This program structure will enable students to acquire both breadth and depth of understanding on development issues, with abilities to work competently in their respective fields as specialists, and to flexibly adapt to related professional fi elds. The course allows students to choose two programs — one as major and the other as minor.

5. Half of the GSID student body are international students. Many students come to GSID with work experience in government organizations, the private sector and NGOs. Many faculty members have work experience with Japanese or international development organizations and some are engaged in development projects as part of ODA. At GSID, education and research are carried out through dynamic interactions among scholars and students from both developing and developed countries and many development practitioners.

6. The medium of teaching of this course is mainly English, and students may complete their programs using English only. The entrance examination is also given in English. Various scholarship schemes are available for students from developing countries. For example, GSID runs joint programs with international organizations, such as the Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP).