The department is a lively community that is recognised internationally as one of the top centres for research and teaching in development studies.

Our courses offer excellent training for a career in international development or for advanced study, and attract students of the highest calibre from across the world.
“I had waited for 10 years before my dream to study in Oxford became a reality and the experience was truly beyond expectation”
Our students are taught to develop as critical and independent thinkers and when they leave us they are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to bring about real change.
“My time at Oxford strengthened my critical analysis and provided me with a unique interdisciplinary grounding in history, politics and economics that has equipped me well in dealing with public policy issues and program development strategy.”
Our courses offer excellent training for a career in international development or for advanced study, and attract students of the highest calibre from across the world.
“I had waited for 10 years before my dream to study in Oxford became a reality and the experience was truly beyond expectation”
Our courses offer excellent training for a career in international development or for advanced study, and attract students of the highest calibre from across the world.
“I had waited for 10 years before my dream to study in Oxford became a reality and the experience was truly beyond expectation”
Our students are taught to develop as critical and independent thinkers and when they leave us they are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to bring about real change.
“My time at Oxford strengthened my critical analysis and provided me with a unique interdisciplinary grounding in history, politics and economics that has equipped me well in dealing with public policy issues and program development strategy.”
Our students are taught to develop as critical and independent thinkers and when they leave us they are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to bring about real change.
“My time at Oxford strengthened my critical analysis and provided me with a unique interdisciplinary grounding in history, politics and economics that has equipped me well in dealing with public policy issues and program development strategy.”
Jo Boyden, director of Young Lives at ODID, has written a post for The Conversation ahead of International Youth Day on 12 August that explores the continuing barriers to progress for the world's disadvantaged young people.
In 'How to stop the world's 3.1 billion young people being left behind', Professor Boyden says that 'radical action is needed to help disadvantaged young people around the world fulfil their hopes'.
Young Lives have been following 12,000 children in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam since 2001. While their research has shown improvements since the start of the study – for example in increased school enrolment – poverty continues to make a huge difference to children's lives from the moment they are born.
She highlights stunting, lack of access to safe water and sanitation, and the risk of leaving school early as particular problems. She also cites the need to create decent jobs to satisfy the ambition young people already manifest, and to ensure such jobs are genuinely accessible to them.
She also highlighted the importance of addressing the needs of young women – for safety, childcare support, access to jobs and empowerment.