Integration of Practice-Related Empirical Research Projects in International Postgraduate Studies: A Case of the Master Program in Development Management

Abstract

[EN] This paper engages with student-led empirical social research and the integration into the study curricula. The purpose of this work is twofold. First, we highlight the relevance of integrating practice-related research projects into postgraduate studies. Second, we illuminate this with the case of the English-language MA programme in Development Management offered at the Institute of Development Research and Development Policy at the Ruhr-University Bochum in Germany. For more than two decades, this international programme has propelled student researchers to define their own academic projects, collect and analyse data, and derive recommendations relevant for people and policy-makers in deprived regions globally. The findings are based on the experiences of students and lecturers from the program including M&E data and reports. This contribution derives take-away messages for postgraduate programmes in the social sciences on how to incorporate research projects and on how to create research outputs relevant to the real world.