MIDP fellows propose solutions to policy problems

Over three days in April, Master of International Development Policy (MIDP) candidates presented their master’s projects to an audience of faculty, staff and fellow students.

A culminating hands-on experience, the master’s project (MP) requires students to apply the professional skills and knowledge they’ve acquired throughout the MIDP program to client-focused projects tackling real-world policy challenges. Over the course of two semesters, students work under the guidance of a faculty member serving as an MP advisor to define a policy problem, analyze it in an interdisciplinary manner and recommend a specific course of action to address that problem.

“Master’s Projects are often research needs that employers assign to their employees when they begin the MIDP,” explained Stephanie Alt Lamm, senior director of the MIDP program. “In other instances, MIDP fellows use the master’s project as a professional development opportunity, often presenting them at sector conferences and during the job search.”

The Spring 2023 master’s projects presented included:

• “Tobacco Tax in Indonesia: An Approach for Equitable, Efficient and Sustainable Policy and Implementation”
  Yosia Theo Napitupulu (MP advisor: G.P. Shukla)
• “Improving the Supply of Affordable Housing for Families with Many Children and Low Income in Kazakhstan”
  Assiya Abzalkyzy (MP advisor: Charles Becker)
• “The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: A Source of Conflict or an Opportunity for Cooperation”
  Yared Asfaw* (MP advisor: Marc Jeuland)
• “Toward A Jjust Energy Transition Policy: Energy Security vs. Export (Case of Morocco)”
  Abdedaim Battioui* (MP advisor:  Marc Jeuland)
• “Exclusions in Welfare Program in India”
  Sakina Dhorajiwala* (MP advisor: Eddy Malesky)
• “Scaling Agricultural Productive Use of Energy to Deliver Benefits for Women and Youths in Rural and Peri-Urban Nigerian Communities”
  Jibikeoluwa Faborode* (MP advisor: Robyn Meeks)
• “Addressing Food Insecurity in the Rural Areas of Colombia”
  Jorge Leonardo Rueda Gil (MP advisor: Hans Boehmer)
• “Addressing Mental Health Inequalities in the Peruvian LGBTQ+ Population”
  Gonzalo Meneses Gonzales (MP advisor: Jay Pearson)
• “Using Internet+ to Drive Rural Revitalization: Exploring the Path, Effect and Challenges”
  Yuan He (MP advisor: Hans Boehmer)
• “Unemployment Among University Graduates in Egypt: Skills Mismatch”
  Nasr Ibrahim (MP advisor: Cory Krupp)
• “Transparent and Participatory Public-Private Partnerships in South Korea”
  Donggyu Kim (MP advisor: G.P. Shukla)
• “A Plan to Strengthen the Korean Government’s Conflict Management Capacity Considering Cultural Specificity”
  Yejin Kwon (MP advisor: Francis Lethem)
• “System Design Strategy for the Future Mobility Industry in Korea”
  Gwangmin Lee (MP advisor: Hans Boehmer)
• “Policy Recommendations for Korea’s ODA Policy on Climate Change Issue”
  Minjae Lee (MP advisor: Hans Boehmer)
• “Impacts of the Valuation of Mining Rights on Tax Revenue in Mongolia”
  Erdenemyadag Namsir (MP advisor: G.P. Shukla)

*These students are Rotary Peace Fellows and also presented their projects at the 20^th annual Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Center conference on April 1.

A flexible interdisciplinary degree program, the MIDP is designed for mid-career professionals who are dedicating their careers to policymaking and public service in developing countries. Graduates go on to work with international development agencies, in the private sector, or in local, state and national governments around the world.