International Development Management

Working towards a fair world

In the course of the study programme, you can focus on Disaster Recovery Management, Sustainable Value Chains or Rural Development and Innovation.

Droughts, heat waves, floods and other disasters are happening more frequently and are increasing in severity. When they happen, they disrupt entire societies. In some regions, these disasters are more frequent than in others. How can you help societies get back on their feet quickly after a disaster, and in such a way that they are more resilient when the next disaster occurs? Decisions taken immediately after a disaster have long-term consequences. If you choose this specialisation, you can help to ensure that the right decisions are made. You will have the knowledge to expertly assist communities to become stronger and more resilient in the face of man-made and natural disasters. You will analyse the causes of disasters and the vulnerability of a region to those disasters. You will gain an understanding of how regions can be built up again following a disaster. You will learn where to find the required expertise and how it can be deployed. Would you like to work on both the technical and the social aspects of reconstruction? Then focusing on disaster recovery management is perfect for you.

In year two you will be required to do an internship. This means that you will have to spend some time in the actual working environment, preferably outside the Netherlands or the country from which you originate. This will help you to discover more about the area of work, about communication, cultures, teamwork, working independently and it will simultaneously challenge you personally.

After graduation you can find work as a junior consultant, policy advisor, trainer or technical assistant. You can find an employer such as a local, national or international government body, a Non Governmental Organisation, business, or set up your own enterprise.

The world seems to be getting smaller by the day, while the differences between people are getting bigger and bigger. Opportunities are unequally distributed and the dominant economic interests damage our natural living conditions. Fortunately, people, organisations and companies increasingly see the necessity of change and are acting accordingly. Fair Trade is one of the ways of doing that: chains which truly ensure a better life for the people who produce our coffee, tea, cocoa, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, cotton, and many other tropical crops. As a chain expert, you will create a better existence for the producers and their organisations, in tandem with business. In order to achieve this responsible world trade, you will not only use your agricultural ingenuity but also your people skills and, not least, your economic drive.

How much closer to practice can you get? In the second semester of year two, you will develop a business plan for your own company, which will be evaluated by Rabobank. You’ll put all your energy and creativity into your presentation at the business market. You will be competing against your fellow students for the most successful business case. An example might be setting up a Fair Trade catering company. Will you succeed in setting up your own business? Will you manage to make money from it? Can your creativity and perseverance be an example to people elsewhere in the world? Sure they can!

Sustainable trade is something that many companies are trying to and willing to achieve. As more and more producers and consumers worldwide become conscious of the social impact of trade, the more career opportunities there are. You can become a campaign officer where you draw up plans for how a company can improve their trade methods, you can be a sustainable trade trainer, a buyer for a company or a certification analyst that determines

whether a product has been bought and produced fairly.

The whole world is changing rapidly and rural areas are no exception. Each rural area has its own dynamics, opportunities and problems. In some countries, people are moving to the cities, causing depopulation in the countryside. In others, the Netherlands for example, residential suburbs are putting parts of the countryside under pressure, or areas are deliberately being flooded. Due to globalisation, opportunities and problems from all over the world are coming into ever-closer contact. For example, the opportunity for an Eastern European family farm is to earn additional income from West-European tourists. It also confronts us with dilemmas, for example: should I, as a global consumer, considering the consequences for the rural producers, drink milk or mango juice? Some areas face a totally different issue: can a Ugandan farming family for example survive when so many of its members are becoming a victim of HIV/AIDS? These are all questions that will concern you, as a specialist in rural development. This intensive programme provides a practical introduction to the opportunities and threats affecting life in rural areas all over the world - a world that could soon become your own workspace!

As a rural developer and facilitator, you will pick up new ideas and trends, and use them in policy making and concrete activities. This way you can help people in the field to make a difference. Whether you work in your own or

in another country, you will be a mediator between groups within organisations for a better collaboration. Your flexibility will be as broad as your knowledge of the field. You may find yourself working in a government institution, consultancy firm, in a service centre or innovation group with rural entrepreneurs. You will be perfectly equipped for positions with development organisations such as CMC, VSO, or PSO, or in companies and private organisations that carry out projects around the world.

In the second year, you will do two internships: one at a multifunctional farm and one as a co-group leader of youngsters. These internships may be undertaken in the Netherlands, Europe, US or Canada. In year three there will be an internship at an organisation for regional/rural development. This internship can be done within or outside the Netherlands. Examples of internship in foreign countries are India, the US, Ghana, Benin, Argentina and Uganda.