MASTER OF
GOVERNANCE
AND
DEVELOPMENT
Programme Content
The future of sustainable development is
critically related to the promotion of better
governance at the local, national, regional
and international levels. Both a cause and a
consequence of governance failures, violent
conflict is incompatible with sustainable
development. Processes of state formation,
state failure and state reconstruction
play a central role in this nexus between
development, governance and conflict.
The programme analyses governance
problems and possible responses, with
due consideration of the specific historical
pathways of individual countries, as well as
the interaction between dynamics at the
national/state level and the local/society
level. It also addresses the impact of global
developments.
Most of our students are engaged (or aspire
to become engaged) in development, whether
professionally or as researchers. The objective of
the Master programme is to provide these
students with multidisciplinary theoretical
12 ยท master programmes
and practical insights that will improve
their capacity to analyse governance challenges
at different levels, in addition to improving
the way in which they relate to processes of
violent conflict and development. Graduates
will understand and be able to analyse the
governance problems confronting developing
countries today, from the local to the global
level. Theoretical insights, policy strategies,
best practices and failures are explored in order
to allow graduates to apply this knowledge in
their future professional environments.
The Master programme in Governance
and Development offers two tracks, each
with specific objectives, courses and
target audiences. The first track explores
issues of governance and development
against the background of violent conflict
and the challenge of post-conflict state
reconstruction. The second track addresses
governance and development challenges
from the perspective of local institutions and
poverty reduction.