Development Studies
The Development Policy and Practice group (DPP) is at the heart of international development and inclusive innovation research and teaching at the OU. Our research challenges ‘top-down’ and aid-driven development policy and practice models and promotes research into more ‘bottom-up’, participatory and inclusive approaches. Our approach emphasises theoretical and empirical research as a co-productive and interdisciplinary endeavour that engages directly with research beneficiaries and users at community, national, international and global levels. DPP has extensive networks and works closely with academics and a consortium of non-governmental organisations.
In the 2014 UK Research Excellence Framework results:
- OU research in International Development had an overall rating of 86% in which our submission was assessed as 4* (world-leading) or 3* (internationally excellent)
- 76% of our research was assessed as 4* (world-leading) or 3* (internationally excellent)
- 100% of our research Environment in International Development was also assessed as 4* (world-leading) or 3* (internationally excellent)
Key facts
- DPP is renowned for conducting globally recognised interdisciplinary research on innovation and development.
- The group is continuously developing new conceptual frameworks and avenues of inquiry and prides itself in being able to attract and retain world-class researchers and students who are willing and able to expand conceptual and empirical horizons.
- The group’s network of local and global partners provides students and researchers access to a vibrant intellectual community.
- We focus on questions of governance of development and the role of the emerging powers in reconfiguring development cooperation.
- We focus largely, though not exclusively, on Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Location
Most of our full-time research students are based at our Milton Keynes campus; for details of residence requirements for different modes of study see Full-time study and Part-time study.
Facilities
The value of collegiality is evident with our research students co-located in a comfortable and well-equipped space, with easy access to faculty administrative and academic staff. The OU Library building is a short walk from the faculty building and provides an alternative study space as well as print collections and the main OU postgraduate common room.
We also offer access to a world-class collection of online resources via the OU Library, a dedicated Library Research Support Team, as well as other university libraries across the UK via the Sconul scheme.
Career prospects
We recruit practitioners from within industries related to global development. Many of our PhD graduates go onto positions within research, teaching, governance, policy making, development management, and consulting.
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