Please share with us your
birthday wishes for IOB
…
I would hope IOB can look
back and celebrate the impact of their alumni in
the nations they represent. It would be good to
celebrate this 15 years by reflecting on what the
studies at IOB have contributed to the development world through former students.
What is the ‘most significant change’
studying at IOB brought about in your
life?
I learnt economics. Granted, Prof Marysse would
not agree to that. Walking into my class on
Economic Development and Institutional Change
was the first time I ever sat for any manner of discussion on economics. As a lawyer by profession,
and coming from an education system where
we do not take economics courses unless at the
University level, I was for the first time exposed
to the economics and development. This significantly changed my view of the development
world. Since then, as Prof. Marysse told us to do,
I see the world in graphs.
What is the role a development institute like IOB should play in the future of
development studies or development in
general?
There is a huge gap in knowledge based research
in the development world that has strong local
context rooting. IOB sits in a unique position
of having had numerous students pass through
their hands over the last 15 years. The majority
of those students come from nations that need
strong research to base important economic and
development policy changes. IOB needs to be
harnessing this unique positioning to partner
with former students, more so those working in
government to carry out periodic research pieces
to address specific development areas within
those countries.
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