The study of growth disparities and differences

IN the 2017 QS University Rankings by Subjects, the University of Malaya (UM) is positioned at 26th in the world for Development Studies — moving up from 30 the previous year. The university is one of the four Asian universities ranked under 30 for the subject — with University of Delhi at 16, University of Tokyo (24) and the University of Hong Kong (28).

While a highly notable recognition, a check among the public reveals there is little known about the subject.

Development studies is described as a multidisciplinary branch of social science that examines the theories, practices and policies associated with development at the national, regional and international level.

According to UM’s Faculty of Economics & Administration dean Professor Noor Azina Ismail, the main concern of the discipline is inequalities, disparities and differences in development, why they occur, and their impact on the social, political, economic and environmental dimensions of a nation.

The subject covers a wide range of areas including Economic Development, Poverty, Gender, Education, Science and Technology, Innovation, Public Policy, Land Development, Human Rights, Cultural Preservation, Environment, Rural Studies, Microcredit, Housing, Sustainable Development, Education, Climate Change and Ethnicity.

“UM has a Department of Development Studies at the Faculty of Economics & Administration (FEA), offering a degree programme in economics with development studies as one of the specialisations, as well as a Master of Development Studies programme. The faculty also trains a large group of PhD students researching on topics related to development studies,” she shared.

A research centre, namely, Centre of Poverty and Development Studies has been set up in the same faculty, with an endowed chair, the Ungku Aziz Chair. FEA also has a few leading academics who are highly regarded and produced high impact publications, said Noor Azina.

Apart from that, she highlighted there are many academics from different departments within the university who are conducting interdisciplinary work relating to Development Studies, including Economics, Statistics and Area Studies such as Southeast Asian Studies and East Asian Studies. UM is the Malaysian representative in the regional chapter of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (a global initiative for the United Nations that supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals).

“Some of the most important issues confronting the world today include social and economic inequalities, regional imbalances, human rights, environmental degradation, poverty and sustainable development. These real-world issues are the core considerations defining the curriculum design of the Development Studies programmes in UM,” said Noor Azina.

The programmes provide solid grounding in development from the theoretical, conceptual, historical and contemporary perspectives, as well as a good grasp of empirical research, policy analysis, and development in practice. The programmes take an interdisciplinary approach, and the problem solving, critical thinking, analytical and communication skills are imbued in the training.

“Ability to conduct independent research is a key objective of the postgraduate programmes. Students are exposed to a wide range of areas including development theory and practice, globalisation and development, poverty and distribution, sustainable development, environmental management, entrepreneurship and development, small and medium enterprises and development, inclusive development, community development, institutions and development, economic development and planning, gender studies, and education and development,” Noor Azina said, adding that interested candidates should visit the faculty’s website at fep.um.edu.my.

ProsPects

So what of the prospects for scholars in Development Studies?

Noor Azina said the programmes in development studies are particularly relevant to development scholars, practitioners and policymakers, as well as the non-traditional fields such as the private sector.

“Career prospects are with a variety of settings including non-governmental organisations, international development institutions, academia, consultancy agencies, humanitarian establishments and governmental bodies. Graduates in development studies can take up positions such as researchers, educators, policy planners, project personnel, planning and development consultants or advisors, corporate social responsibility professionals, environmental impact analysts, and journalists, among others,” she elaborated.

Currently, there are 40 students enrolled for the Master of Development Studies programme in UM. Another 30 PhD candidates are specialising in Development Studies. About 20 per cent of the total are international students.

“Our newly introduced specialisation at the undergraduate level in the Bachelor of Economics programme has an enrolment of 18 students for the first cohort of intake. The discipline is gaining more popularity, especially among doctoral students. The number of international applicants for this subject is also on the increase. The Faculty has plans to expand the student intake, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

“The degree programme with a specialisation in Development Studies with a new curriculum has just commenced. We have launched the new Master of Development Studies programme to enhance its multi- and interdisciplinary features to cater for a wider market, and the programme will start running in the coming academic session commencing in September this year. The Faculty is also expanding the Department of Development Studies by recruiting new staff, and some from abroad. Employability has not been an issue among the graduates in Development Studies, mainly due to the low number of Development Studies experts in the market.”

On UM’s move up the ranks for Development Studies, Noor Azina said UM’s overall score improved by more than two per cent.

“This improvement was mainly contributed by our better international reputation (a rise of four per cent), as captured in the academic survey of QS which targeted academics around the world. Our research work has also gained more attention, both locally and internationally. This is evident from the score for citations of our publications that climbed by seven per cent,” she said.

She noted that the achievement did not come easy in the global arena of education that is increasingly competitive, and in the face of financial uncertainties due to the recent economic slowdown that affected the university’s funding from various sources.