MODEV

The master's degree in Project Management for Development (MODEV) is an 8-month continuing education program that aims to provide executives from Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) partner institutions or companies (or potential partners) with the methods and tools that contribute to the implementation of sustainable development projects. 

The master's degree in Project Management for Development (MODEV) is part of the "Development Economics" course at the School of Economics at the University of Clermont Auvergne (UCA). 

It was created in 2007 by the Agence Francaise de Development (French Development Agency) training department, the CEFEB (now the Training Division of AFD's Department for the Valorization of Knowledge on Sustainable Development (VAL) and called AFD Campus). CERDI-École d'Économie (UCA) is a historical partner and delivers this master's degree.

In 2019, AFD Campus wanted to develop this master and broaden the audience trained in methods and project management. 

FERDI is now associated with AFD Campus and the School of Economics of UCA for the implementation of the master by welcoming students in France, the organization of study trips, and the animation of the network of former MODEV graduates.

Also, FERDI is developing, in collaboration with AFD Campus, a distance learning module dedicated to project management to enable people to acquire the skills in the implementation and monitoring of sustainable development projects.

This multi-disciplinary training combines economics, finance, and management. It develops autonomy in the management of sustainable development projects. 

This 8-months training course has the following objectives:

• To reinforce the knowledge, know-how and interpersonal skills of the participants to make them actors of change (entrepreneurs within their institutions);
• To contribute to the emergence of a network of development professionals.

The overall aim is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the public and private project leaders in the South who contribute to transitions towards sustainable development.

The target audience is public and private employees from French-speaking developing countries with responsibilities in government ministries, local authorities, businesses, financial institutions, and NGOs, who wish to develop their expertise.

AFD executives, professors from UCA (School of Economics and School of Management), and professionals teach the Masters class.

Over 8 months, the master's program consists of two academic sessions: 8 weeks of distance learning (e-learning), followed by classroom sessions in Marseille and Clermont-Ferrand. 

Since the start of the 2017 academic year, it has been a hybrid, face-to-face / distance learning course. It begins with a 3-month Common Core curriculum, the first 8 weeks of which are distance learning, then 6 weeks of face-to-face teaching.

This is followed by a period of practical application, from December to February, carried out in the institution or company of origin of the participant in the program. This period ends with a report about a problem on a subject chosen in agreement with the employer and the leaders of the program.

The course ends with a period of two and a half months, from February to April, of specialized classes, during which the Masters students are divided into two options: Option 1 - Public decision and project management and Option 2 - Development and financing of the private sector. 

Created in 1963, and transformed into a master's degree in 2006, this course has already nearly 2,800 alumni, including more than 400 since its approval as a master's degree. It has created a network of alumni who now hold positions of responsibility in government ministries, local authorities, businesses, financial institutions, and NGOs in countries of the South, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean. 

The diversity of origins - West Africa, Maghreb, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, and profiles - engineers, researchers, analysts, program managers, heads of services in private companies and public organizations, bring great richness to this master's program during which exchanges are unique and stimulating.

Most of the face-to-face teaching takes place in Marseille, in the AFD offices. Three weeks are scheduled in Clermont-Ferrand.

Contact / Information: Simon Goutner - goutners@afd.fr