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BEYOND AID: WHAT REALLY DRIVES INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT?

A grounded introduction to international development—Designed for reflection, clarity, and action.
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Course features
  • 12 modules

  • Suggested articles 

  • Presentation materials
  • Course videos
  • Assessments
  • Certificate of Knowledge
  • Bibliography
  • Format: Self-paced
  • Approx time: 8 hours 
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WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?

This international development course is designed for:

 Learners new to global development who want a strong foundation.
 Students seeking meaningful careers, ready to translate theory to action.
 Professionals making a sector shift into NGOs or social impact work.
 Practitioners looking to deepen their understanding of equity, governance, and accountability.

No degree or prior experience required—just a willingness to learn, reflect, and engage with real-world complexity.
Course overview
What really drives progress in international development? Is it aid, institutions, local leadership, or something deeper?

This course offers a practical, critical introduction to international development. You’ll explore where the field came from, how it works today, and what factors truly shape progress.

Through a series of accessible, thought-provoking modules, you'll explore foundational concepts, real-world dilemmas, and the systems that shape development practice today. We go beyond the surface of aid narratives to ask deeper questions:
 Who decides what development looks like?
 What factors accelerate—or block—progress?
 And how can practitioners navigate this complexity with integrity and purpose?

By the end, you’ll leave with a sharper lens, a stronger foundation, and tools you can immediately bring into your practice.
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Certification included
At the end of the course, you’ll receive a Certificate of Knowledge recognizing both your commitment and your mastery of key development concepts. It’s a meaningful credential to share on your resume, LinkedIn profile, or with your professional network.
Certificate of Knowledge in International Development

WHY THIS COURSE MATTERS NOW

In today’s global context—marked by rising inequality, shifting power dynamics, and deepening calls for change—relying on traditional aid models is no longer enough. It’s time to rethink how we understand development itself. This course invites you to question dependency-driven approaches and explore what truly drives sustainable, equitable progress. Because regaining independence—at both the community and systemic level—begins with understanding the root causes of development: governance, trust, accountability, local knowledge, and structural reform. If you care about doing this work differently—and more intentionally—this course is where that conversation begins.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
  • How international development is defined—and why it matters.
  • The U.S. government’s role and motivations in global development.
  • A brief history of development paradigms and priorities. Looking at how theories and institutions have evolved.
  • Grapple with the big question: Does foreign aid work?
  • Key drivers of development: education, governance, and beyond.
  • The influence of business, taxation, and corruption on development outcomes.
  • How accountability systems shape incentives and impact.
  • What development looks like on the ground—and what often gets overlooked.
  • The role of community-based approaches in creating more inclusive, sustainable solutions.

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Carol Lopez Lima has been working in international development since 2012, specializing in gender equality, education technology, project management, digital transformation, and monitoring and evaluation. Her work has taken her across the globe—to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kosovo, Iraq, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Sudan—where she’s led digital transformation initiatives and collaborated with local teams to build systems that center equity and community ownership.

Carol holds a Master’s in Development Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Bachelor’s in Business Management from Florida International University. She’s earned certifications in digital transformation, design thinking, leadership, and project delivery.
      CAROL LOPEZ LIMA
      Development Practitioner. Instructor. Course Creator. 
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