Dear All,

We have a few fully-funded scholarships (for mainly developing
countries applicants) and part bursaries (for both developing and
developed countries applicants) available for the courses in
September 1999 and April 2000.  If you are interested in applying for
the scholarships/bursaries please do so immediately.  Please forward
this e-mail or inform whosoever might be interested.

Thanks,

----------------------------
Development Studies Courses
----------------------------

The Development Studies Course in Selly Oak (# University of Birmingham)
was established in 1974. So far around 800 students have
participated in the training courses.  The courses (11-weeks;
twice a year) are specially designed to meet the needs of people
working in many kinds of non-government and international
organisations as well as government departments.

The courses are unique in terms of theirs learning and teaching strategies
(please see below) and courses covered (Health and Social Development;
Civil Society; and NGO Management in Developing Countries).

Course participants:

· the staff of voluntary development associations, religious and secular
development programmes, and support agencies operating at national and
international level; · those whose work includes direct management
responsibility for development programmes run and managed by their
national governments;  · people engaged in administering aid, either in
developing countries or in donor countries; · expatriates working, or
preparing to work, with development programmes in other countries; ·
community action groups and civil society organisations; · those engaged
in education and the raising of awareness about development and justice.

The programme encourages applications from women, minorities and people
with disabilities.

Course contents:

The Selly Oak Development Studies course structure is unique because each
course is developed 'flexibly', according to the particular needs and
concerns of participants.  Main themes include:-

· understanding poverty, and the processes of underdevelopment and
development; · reviewing social and human development and social policy
issues in developing countries; · examining possibilities for social,
political and economic changes at all levels; · incorporating gender; and
environmental issues in development programmes and policies; · considering
relationships among globalisation, the state and civil society; ·
improving practical management skills in planning, budgeting,
implementation, and evaluation; · developing institutions and building
capacity of organisations including advocacy skills; · analysing the
nature, sources, motives and effects of aid, and the role of voluntary
agencies; · exploring motivation and communication, and becoming more
effective in working with others, handling conflict, problem-solving and
leadership.

Learning and teaching methods:

The course approach is based on parallels between adult learning and the
processes of development itself.  Analysis of experience from within the
class is therefore a rich source of learning, and importance is given to
participatory learning methods throughout the course.  The study methods
are intensive and participatory.  The course also works with a variety of
practical case studies and film materials from developing countries. These
methods include discussion in large and small groups, concept
presentations and formal lectures, recommended reading, case studies,
programmed and structured exercises, role play, simulations, group-work,
video films, external visits, and individual and group assignments.
Methods are constantly interchanged to provide stimulus, to reinforce
learning and to meet individual needs.

Applications:

Application forms are available on request.  In view of heavy demand for
places, applications should preferably arrive 6 months before the start of
the course.  Urgent enquiries may be sent by fax or e-mail.

Dates for future courses:

25 September to 11 December 1999
29 April to 15 July 2000

Current fees:

£3050 for tuition and use of facilities of Selly Oak Colleges and
University of Birmingham; £1463 for accommodation and meals.  There will
be small rises in both these charges from September 1999.

Scholarships:

Many overseas aid agencies in Europe and North America have given
financial support to course participants in the past.  Different donors
have varying application procedures, but almost all of them require that
an applicant should first obtain the firm recommendation of his or her
employing organisation.  The chance of a favourable response is greatly
increased if the applicant's organisation is already collaborating with
the donor agency in existing development programmes.  Requests for
scholarship support should be submitted directly to the donor agencies.
The Department will issue an admission certificate in order to facilitate
the selection process of the funding agencies and sponsoring organisations
and to apply for visas to enter United Kingdom.  We have very limited
number of fully-funded scholarships and part bursaries available with us.

Further details:

S. K. Nayak, Course Director
Development Studies Unit
Selly Oak Colleges
(# University of Birmingham)
998 Bristol Road
Birmingham B29 6LQ, UK.

Telephone: +44 (0)121 415 2295
Telefax: +44 (0)121 415 2296
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Website: http://www.sellyoak.ac.uk/