IGERT International Development and Globalization Program

Columbia University has received major funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the creation of an interdisciplinary graduate program in the study of international development and globalization. The IGERT International Development and Globalization Program at Columbia University is directed by Joseph Stiglitz, University Professor and Executive Director of the Initiative for Policy Dialogue. It is unique in its reach across disciplines, including economics, political science, law, and sociology. It mobilizes exceptional resources at Columbia University, including the Initiative for Policy Dialogue, the Columbia Earth Institute, the School of International and Public Affairs, the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP), and the premier schools of architecture, business, law, and public health.

The IGERT International Development and Globalization Program is grounded intellectually in a critique and reformulation of standard economic theory. The program examines issues in international economic development and analyzes global institutions, multilateral treaties, non-governmental organizations, and mobilizations of public protest.  It looks at the interplay among state, politics, and civil society.

Globalization and international development jointly define one of the central opportunities of our time. Globalization can be a powerful engine for international development, but in many developing countries globalization has instead meant rising poverty and inequality.  Developing countries often face extremely difficult policy choices. Debates on development strategies are often confined to a narrow range of options. Columbia University has brought together a distinguished interdisciplinary social science faculty to investigate why, and to provide a deeper understanding of the impact of globalization on developing countries. Through the IGERT International Development and Globalization Program, faculty will train the next generation of researchers in new models and new methods for studying international development.  

In addition to training in their own discipline, students will take additional courses in development in their own and other related disciplines. This innovative approach to the study of development and globalization gives students greater analytical tools to use as both practitioners and researchers in the field.

Students will also undertake summer and academic-year research internships, with at least one summer spent in a developing country. These internships build both on Columbia University faculty research and on connections with the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program, the Earth Institute, and a wide range of international organizations.

The Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program seeks to train Ph.D. students with the interdisciplinary background and the technical, professional and personal skills needed to address the global questions of the future. Through the use of innovative curricula and internships, and by focusing on problem-centered training, these programs give their graduates the edge needed to become leaders in their chosen fields.