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.”
A new report examining energy issues within humanitarian settings has recently been launched at the UN Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll) Humanitarian Energy Conference (HEC 2022).
The State of the Humanitarian Energy Sector (SOHES) 2022 was developed by academics based at the Refugee Studies Centre (RSC) alongside researchers with the Global Platform for Action in Sustainable Energy in Displacement Settings (GPA), based at the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
A first-of-its-kind publication, the report explores the major challenges, progress, and issues associated with humanitarian energy and climate action in displacement contexts. The SOHES report aims to inspire and encourage humanitarian energy sector partners, the private sector, and donors to progress towards better funding, inclusive policy-making, enhanced data collection, and inclusive innovative delivery towards achieving global climate and renewable energy targets. It demonstrates the value of inclusive research and shares a variety of insights from sector leaders, champions: providing case study evidence and interview reflections from multiple humanitarian and development organisations, the private sector, academia and governments, and importantly displaced people themselves.
The report was co-authored by two refugee fellows on the RSC-BIEA Fellowship within the Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH) at the University of Oxford. Joelle Hangi is a co-author for chapter 1 on energy needs, and David Kinzuzi is co-author for chapter 7 on climate action. Dr Sarah Rosenberg-Jansen, a research fellow at the RSC, is lead author for the report. Alongside the University of Oxford authors, the report has been developed by leading humanitarian energy institutions: UNITAR, Chatham House, IOM, SEforALL, GIZ, Practical Action, NORCAP, Mercy Corps, University of Oxford, MECS, UNDP, Imperial College London, Selco Foundation, International Lifeline Fund, and UNHCR.
The report presents new data highlighting that:
Overwhelming, the report demonstrates that without substantial investment and political action, Sustainable Development Goal 7 on energy access is highly unlikely to be achieved in displacement contexts by 2030.
Further information and resources are available online here.