Development Economics Project 2022-26

Description What is done in the programme or project and why, what results are pursued, who benefits from the activities and who are involved in the implementation.

The impact objective of the project is to enhance sustainable economic growth and well-being in developing countries, by strengthening the teaching and knowledge of development economics, particularly the development economics of education in Finland, and internationally the significance of development economics as a societal change maker. The project consists of the professorship in practice of development economics and a research component in Mozambique, aiming at co-creating solutions to the global learning crisis, applicable more widely in Africa. The expected outputs are two master-level courses to a growing number of students, more doctoral dissertations, scientific publications on particularly the research component in Mozambique, joint events with other actors in education, and policy influence in the EU, MFA, FCA and UNESCO professors in Finland. The proposal is for continued funding for the succesful pilot phase in 2019-22 which established and stabilized the cooperation The implementation of the project is primarily the established Professorship of Practice in Development Economics within the faculty of economics in the School of Economics of the Aalto University, co-financed by the MFA and Aalto University and under the administrative guidance of Aalto University Foundation. In addition, the project includes a research component and research group in Mozambique. This project strengthens the contribution of Finnish education expertise in solving global challenges, through as well the global research community as through selected development partners. The MFA will fund the project with 220.000€ for the years 2022-23. Aalto University provides 20 percent of the financing.