UNIDEV – Bridging the gap between theory and practice was a 3-year (2013-2016) EuropeAid-funded project led by the NGO Support Centre with the aim to increase the awareness and understanding of young people in partner countries (Cyprus, Ireland, Slovakia) about poverty and the Millennium Development Goals’ agenda in order to stimulate debate and action in support of fairer relations between the Global North and the Global South.
UNIDEV delivered more than a 100 open lectures to universities in partner countries, a summer school in Ireland as well as 6 study visits and 2 shadowing placements for academics. Additionally, through the project, an educator’s resource on Development Education was produced that is available here. UNIDEV aimed to stimulate greater levels of theoretical and practical teaching, learning and knowledge to academics and students about international development issues and more specifically the MDG agenda and the post-2015 framework. Furthermore, through those activities, the project facilitated cross-sector and professional debate about global justice and poverty involving academics, practitioners and decision makers strengthening Development Education through the cross fertilization of development issues between academia and NGOs for the benefit of the learners.