MASTER IN COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT
"Joining the Master in Cooperation and Development in Pavia means trying to understand the complexities of our world, the origin of its distortions, and some possible ways of change. Above all, it means doing it together with people from all over the world and connecting with more than 500 people, former students who now work around the world concretely, practicing those ways of change".
Scholarships for candidates
Supporting young talent from disadvantaged backgrounds has always been our main goal.
That is why we are constantly working to find new opportunities and thus be able to offer scholarships to our most deserving students.
Thanks to the project “CONSOLIDATION AND EXPANSION OF THE COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT NETWORK FOR HUMAN AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT“ supported by the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development – AICS we offer scholarships dedicated to meritorious students coming from low and middle-income countries (according to the World Bank classification available here).
For the academic year 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 we offer:
- 8 scholarships for candidates from low and middle-income countries
- 2 scholarships for candidates from the MENA Region (Middle East and North Africa) with a special focus on those coming from Tunisia.
The AICS scholarship includes:
- total waiving of tuition fees
- free full-board accommodation at the Almo Collegio Borromeo in Pavia for the entire teaching part of the program (8 months: from November to June)
THE JOB YOU WANT,
IN A SHORT TIME
The boxes below show some of the most recent data related to the job placement of our Alumni.
Immediately (within 3 months) 68%
68%
6-12 months 9%
9%
12+ months 9%
9%
WHAT THE STUDENTS SAY ABOUT US
"The economic aspects are fundamental in cooperation and development and even more now in the light of recent global crises. Secondary project management equips one to handle development projects with ease. Thirdly, the internships at the end usher one back into professional life, making the transition easier for young professionals. Finally, of course, is the peer learning opportunity offered by the program. This is the part that I personally most treasure. Meeting students from other parts of the world offers opportunities for cross-learning through other people’s experiences."
"The Master's programme has been fundamental to me at different times and in different ways during my career. Being a student of this Master's course also meant that I felt part of a community: in fact there is a strong sense of belonging among the former students who now work around the world in international cooperation. During my career i stumbled upon various Master’s alumni, capable and well established professionals with whom i felt connected.
After 20 years of work experience in this sector, in different countries and organizations, I would undoubtedly do this training again, which is also a path of personal growth."
"I am immensely grateful for the opportunities the Master's programme has given me, not only did it provide me with a comprehensive understanding of cooperation and development, but the immense added value has come from the outstanding professionalism and preparation of the master. The program's rigorous curriculum, taught by experts in the field, equipped me with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate the complex challenges of the humanitarian sector."
"The economic aspects are fundamental in cooperation and development and even more now in the light of recent global crises. Secondary project management equips one to handle development projects with ease. Thirdly, the internships at the end usher one back into professional life, making the transition easier for young professionals. Finally, of course, is the peer learning opportunity offered by the program. This is the part that I personally most treasure. Meeting students from other parts of the world offers opportunities for cross-learning through other people’s experiences."
"The Master's programme has been fundamental to me at different times and in different ways during my career. Being a student of this Master's course also meant that I felt part of a community: in fact there is a strong sense of belonging among the former students who now work around the world in international cooperation. During my career i stumbled upon various Master’s alumni, capable and well established professionals with whom i felt connected.
After 20 years of work experience in this sector, in different countries and organizations, I would undoubtedly do this training again, which is also a path of personal growth."
WHAT THE COURSE IS ABOUT?
The Master aims to prepare future professionals working in international cooperation and humanitarian aid. Students are provided with a broad preparation for the economic and geopolitical dynamics underlying inequality and poverty. Solid theoretical preparation is accompanied by a practical module of PROJECT DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT, which provides highly professionalizing tools and skills: project writing, tools for administering and reporting a project in the field, data collection and analysis, MONITORING AND EVALUATION. People trained at the Master’s can find work in non-governmental organizations, international organizations, public/private institutions, non-profit organizations, foundations, UN agencies, or other bodies/networks operating in the field of development policies at the international level.
The training course is characterized by a strong multidisciplinary profile and an important professionalization orientation. The teaching part is divided into macro areas:
- PRELIMINARY ECONOMICS
- DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
- GEOPOLITICS AND DEVELOPMENT
- DATA ANALYSIS AND QUANTITATIVE TOOLS
- PROJECT DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT
- CAREER ORIENTATION
The PROJECT DESIGN module is the key point of the course curriculum, as it gives the students the possibility to meet international experts from NGOs, and international organizations, with a participative and inclusive teaching method through the systematic use of structured group work. Through hands-on experience and practical working groups, the students have the opportunity to work on real case studies that are then discussed and analyzed: this encourages interaction within the class and creates a common responsibility in seeking solutions that are then developed on a concrete level.
THE INTERNSHIP represents a fundamental and highly professionalizing part of the Master’s course and lasts from 3 to 6 months at NGOs, International Organisations, foundations, research centers, and public and private bodies all over the world. The internship experience is carefully prepared by a special figure of the DEDICATED INTERNSHIP TUTOR who guides the students through individual and group meetings toward the most suitable internship experience according to their profiles. During the course, students take part in meetings with human resources experts from the world of NGOs and international organizations offering CAREER ORIENTATION AND JOB COUNSELLING.
Sponsor
Would you like to know more? Contact Us!
CDN Partner institutions
CDN Partner CSOs
ALMO COLLEGIO BORROMEO –
Piazza Collegio Borromeo, 9 – 27100 Pavia, Italia
Tel +39 0382 395504
Email: cdn@unipv.it