Global Partners
Universitas Negeri Papua, West Papua, Indonesia. Campus Classrooms.
The Global Network of Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) programs, with a Secretariat based at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, is in the process of developing a set of resources and services that will be available to all universities and academic institutions interested in the practice of sustainable development. Academic institutions or universities do not have to receive funding from the MacArthur Foundation to join this network.
The first Master’s in Development Practice Program will begin in September 2009 at Columbia University. Nine additional programs will be launched around the world in the fall of 2010. As these programs get off the ground, we will further expand the network of interested and participating universities committed to inter-disciplinary, rigorous, and practice-based training in sustainable development.
We hope that you will join us as a contributor to this network. Some of the offerings being developed by the Secretariat for network participants include:
- access to a MDP virtual repository of resources including case studies, course syllabi, readings and other materials;
- virtual and real time global partnerships and networking opportunities;
- online, blended, global courses including the Global Classroom “Integrated Approaches to Sustainable Development;
- invitations to meetings and workshops on sustainable development practice and training;
- assistance with strategic planning for developing MDP programs and field training.
The Secretariat and its partners are also planning to identify a strategy for establishing standards for eventual MDP affiliation, and we welcome your participation and input in this process. Discussion will be held through a variety of media, including Skype, telephone, and email.
For more information on the Global MDP network, and to be involved in this process, please contact: