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COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Overview of the program

Disciplinary Area
SOCIO-ECONOMIC SCIENCES AND LAW
Credits
60
Department/Institution
DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE POLITICHE E SOCIALI
the Almo Collegio Borromeo of Pavia
Duration
one-year
Fees
8.000 €
Application dates
from 27/04/2026 to 30/06/2026
Study format
In-person
Available places
from 14 to 35
Application on
DreamApply
Duration courses
from November 2026 to June 2027
Auditors
Yes
Language
English

The Post-Bachelor Vocational Program aims to meet a precise training need in tune with a labour market that operates on an international scale and closely follows developments in the economic, social and cultural changes of today's world. The function of the course is therefore to prepare future professionals who can operate in the field of international cooperation for whom, the mere sensitivity to working in different and often difficult contexts is not enough, but must be complemented with targeted economic, humanistic and project skills, fostering the development of those characteristics of creativity, spirit of independence and decision-making that are necessary for this type of professionalism.

The professional figure trained in the Vocational Program can find employment in non-governmental organisations, international organisations, public, private and non-profit bodies working in the field of development cooperation, UN agencies or other bodies/networks operating in the field of development policies at international level.

The training course is characterised by a strong multidisciplinary profile and an important professionalisation orientation. The theoretical part is divided into the macro areas of:

  • preliminary economics
  • development economics
  • development geopolitics
  • project cycle management for development cooperation.

The Project Cycle Management module is preparatory to the internship and is of particular importance within the course curriculum, as it integrates several highly formative aspects: the use of professionals from the world of international cooperation (non-governmental organisations, international organisations), a participative and inclusive teaching method through the systematic use of structured group work. Students are confronted with project case studies that are then discussed and analysed: 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 professionalising part of the Vocational Program, lasting from 3 to 6 months at NGOs, International Organisations, foundations, research centres, public and private institutions all over the world. The internship experience is carefully prepared by a special figure of the internship tutor who, through periodic individual and group meetings, has the task of orienting students.

1) PRELIMINARY ECONOMICS

ECON-01/A | Economia politica
Language: English
CFU: 10
Contents:
  • Microeconomics
  • Macroeconomics
  • Development and demographic indicators
  • Basic statistics
  • Tutorship and exam preparation.

2) DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS

ECON-01/A | Economia politica
Language: English
CFU: 12
Contents:
  • Key topics in development macroeconomics
  • Classical foundations of development economics
  • Measuring poverty inequality and human development
  • Development trajectories: a comparative analysis between alternative
  • Development processes
  • Food security and agricultural development
  • From financial crisis to finance for development
  • The sustainability of economic development: climate change issues.

3) PROJECT CYCLE MANAGEMENT

Development Cooperation: policies, actors and tools

SECS-P/07 | ECONOMIA AZIENDALE
Language: English
CFU: 8
Contents:
  • Introduction and policy frame: donors, trends and perspectives
  • The European Union external action and integrated approach to crisis
  • European polices strategies and funds (budget 2021-2027)
  • The role of civil societies in international cooperation
  • Humanitarian action and development in fragile context + practical work-lab
  • The role of philanthropy in international cooperation.

Project Cycle Management

SECS-P/07 | ECONOMIA AZIENDALE
Language: English
CFU: 8
Contents:
  • Project formulation and writing + practical project works on blended modality
  • Financial accounting for nonprofit organizations
  • Budget and administration of a development project
  • Results-based monitoring and evaluation.

Workshops

SECS-P/07 | ECONOMIA AZIENDALE
Language: English
CFU: 3
Contents:
  • Rapid need assessment in emergency projects
  • The implementation of a development project in the field
  • Reinforcing communities’ resilience to cope with climate change: case studies
  • Emergency in practice: WorkLab.

4) DEVELOPMENT AND GEOPOLITICS: ISSUES AND TOOLS

Geopolitics and Development

GSPS-05/A | Sociologia generale
Language: English
CFU: 5
Contents:
  • Key issues in contemporary Africa
  • Key issues in contemporary Asia
  • Key issues in contemporary Latin America.

Instruments for Research, Policy Analysis and Management

GSPS-05/A | Sociologia generale
Language: English
CFU: 6
Contents:
  • Undertaking social research in development studies
  • Introduction to research methodologies in social science.

Seminario

Language: English
CFU: 8
Contents:

Key issues in the Global Agenda - The voice of UN agencies and international experts

  • Development economics
  • Finance for development
  • Climate change
  • Energy for development
  • Peace and development
  • Protection and wash in humanitarian aid operations
  • Migrations and development.

 

Other activities

  • Internship/Stage

    Language:
    English
    CFU:
    10

  • Final exam

    Language:
    English
    CFU:
    5

Information notice

As part of the activities carried out by the Cooperation and Development Network, training and/or internship opportunities may be available at partner universities.

A) STUDENTS FROM LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES (* please refer to the classification compiled by the World Bank)
Students coming from low and middle income countries and areas of strategic and priority interest for the Italian cooperation, statistically in the previous editions, have represented about 50% of the class and their presence constitutes a distinctive and peculiar character of the Vocational Program, which by nature aims at valorising deserving and talented young people in conditions of severe poverty, working to strengthen the capacity building of the countries of origin in close collaboration with the Italian cooperation. Students from developing countries (DCs) may alternatively receive:

  • AICS (Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo) Scholarships > for the 2026/2027 edition, AICS is providing no. 11 scholarships to cover the Vocational Program's tuition fee, flight to/from the country of origin, room and board costs (8 months) at the College and health insurance for the internship period.
    In the selection process for these scholarships, preference will be given to applicants from countries in the MENA region and Albania.
  • Total Exemption > exemption from payment of the Vocational Program's tuition fee
  • Partial Exemption > 50% exemption from payment of the enrolment fee for the Vocational Program, based on the income situation as per the certification/self-certification submitted and academic merit
  • Additional Vocational Program's Grants > if additional resources will be available, payment of the Vocational Program's enrolment fee will be waived, with the exception of the university fee (€ 560.00) and the Borromeo fee (€ 240.00).

B) STUDENTS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
For italian students who are not from low and middle income, but who are in a disadvantaged economic situation as proven by the ISEE model submitted or by self-certification submitted, exemptions/scholarships will be granted as follows:

  • Total Exemption > exemption from payment of the Vocational Program's tuition fee
  • Partial Exemption > 50% exemption from payment of the enrolment fee for the Vocational Program, based on the income situation as per the certification/self-certification submitted and academic merit
  • Additional Vocational Program's Grants > if additional resources will be available, payment of the Vocational Program's enrolment fee will be waived, with the exception of the university fee (€ 560.00) and the Borromeo fee (€ 240.00).

These financial benefits are assigned each year on the basis of each enrolled student's merit, assessed through the analysis of qualifications (as per CV) and motivational interview.
All students, including those who benefit from exemptions and scholarships, will in any case be required to pay the following fees: admission fee (€ 50.00), stamp duty on the application form (€ 16.00 - except AICS scholarship holders), secretarial fees (€ 200.00- except AICS scholarship holders) and the fee for the reimbursement of expenses for the award of the Vocational Program's degree (€ 116.00).

The types and number of available exemptions and scholarships will be listed on the relevant website: http://www.cooperationdevelopment.org.

<p>The Organizational Secretary will be located at:<br />
<br />
Collegio Almo Borromeo<br />
Piazza del Collegio Borromeo - 27100 Pavia (PV)<br />
E: cdn@unipv.it<br />
T: +39 0382.395504</p>