MS International and development economics

Comprehensive overview

The Schools of Economics at the University of Namur (UNamur) and at the Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain) jointly organise this one-year postgraduate programme in International and Development Economics.

The SMIDE (Specialized Master in International and Development Economics) programme has successfully been in existence since 1996. Professorship includes  academics and professional experts  with a  well-established international reputation and extensive  field experience in developing countries.

Master de spécialisation en économie internationale et du développement - partenaires

Description

The objective of SMIDE is to train present and future actors of development to be able to devise realistic and original reforms and programmes based on a sound economic analysis and well-adjusted to the social and political context of each country.

The programme enables  graduates and young professionals to: 

  1. Acquire international standards of economic analysis and increase their abilities in this field; 
  2. Confront their personal experience with foreign perceptions of the world economy and of their own country; 
  3. Gain the maturity needed to further sharpen their professional or research objectives.

The programme is structured around  two main themes: Macroeconomic and Trade Policies; and Economic Development and Institutions. 

Graduates obtain a Specialized Master’s Degree in International and Development Economics.

Detailed study programme

 Please refer to the ‘SMIDE Programme’ to view the detailed list of learning activities.

Applications 

Deadlines for applications 2025-2026: 

  • EU candidates: 30 September 2025
  • Non-EU candidates (requiring a visa): 28 February 2025

Please refer to the ‘Admission requirements’ tab for details.

ARES scholarships

The programme is supported by the "Académie de Recherche et d'Enseignement Supérieur - Commission de la Coopération au Développement" (ARES-CCD) and funded by the Belgian Government. The Belgian Government offers 10 scholarships for "international courses" through ARES-CCD. 

Applicants must reside in ARES partners countries and have two years of professional experience. Applications must be submitted online via the GIRAF platform. 

The application period for the 2025-2026 ARES scholarships is now closed (November 2024).

The call for 2026-2027 will open in August 2025.

Contacts

  • email: smide@unamur.be
  • Tel: +32 (0)81 72 48 23
  • Postal address: 
    SMIDE
    Rempart de la Vierge, 8
    5000 Namur
    Belgium
  • LinkedIn

Learning outcomes

At the end of their training, graduates are in a position to:

  1. Design and implement innovative programmes of economics and human development, inspired by a rigorous economic analysis and adapted both to local aspirations and international constraints.
  2. Understand and assess the models and methods used by international organisations, foreign governments and consultants in development assistance and international economic relations.
  3. Play an educational role, in particular by clarifying for local decision-makers and to the general public the rationale and usefulness of economic reforms in their local context. 

At the end of their training, graduates will also be able to:

  • Communicate clearly and persuasively both in English (written and oral) and in graphical form.
  • Manage a project, collaborate within a team, and exercise leadership.

These qualifications are especially appreciated by governments, international organisations and the academic community.

Fields of study

The courses of the programme are structured around two main themes:

1. Macroeconomics and Trade Policies

The Macroeconomics theme addresses the issues of stabilisation and structural adjustment. It focuses on the determinants of the balance of payments, the domestic growth rate, the employment level and structure, the inflation rate, public sector accounts and external debt. 

Particular attention is devoted to the interaction between exchange rates, interest rates, monetary and fiscal policy instruments and the real sector of the economy. Country experiences are used to assess the relative costs of adjusting or not adjusting unsustainable policies in the face of external constraints, as well as to evaluate the contribution of various policy regimes or macroeconomic policy packages to the policymakers’ objective of sustainable and balanced growth.

The programme studies also the opportunities and constraints confronted by an economy when it integrates into the world market economy. Special attention is devoted to such themes as the relation between economic growth and international trade, the role of multinational firms, the localisation of activities, the management of adjustment costs after trade shocks.  

Trade and policy aspects are also analysed: the strategic behaviour of firms and governments and the role of regional and supra-regional organisations.

2. Development and Institutions

The classes offered in this field cover the key topics in development economics today. The topics include:

  • Poverty: We discuss key concepts and measures of poverty and inequality. We examine the current situation of poverty in the world and conduct a critical analysis of the Millennium Development Goals.
  • Microfinance: We study the role of formal and informal lending institutions in developing countries and discuss whether microfinance can be considered a "revolution" in development.
  • Education: We examine the decision to invest in education at a micro and macro level and discuss what we know today about the returns to education.
  • Gender issues: We present Amartya Sen's analysis of missing women. We discuss discrimination at the level of households and study the main decision models including intra-household bargaining.
  • The links between poverty and the environment: After an introduction to environmental economics and its key concepts, we examine what we know today about the relationships between development, poverty and the environment.
  • The role of institutions in development: Different economic approaches to institutions are presented, discussed and illustrated. Modes of transactions, contracts, informal arrangements and social norms receive particular attention. The underlying functions of economising on transaction costs, overcoming incentive problems and providing coordination are highlighted. Two important fields of application of institutional analysis are covered in more details: systems of property rights and agrarian contracts.

Each topic is covered in formal lectures and emphasis is put on policy responses to central problems in development today. 

Each class also provides students with essential methods and tools that can be applied in a wide range of economic problems. In particular, students learn how to compute and assess poverty measures, how to conduct a cost-benefit analysis and a rigorous impact evaluation and how to address the issue of institutional choice in specific situations. Various personal works provide opportunities to apply these tools.

Master International

Organisation

1. Coursework and evaluation

The programme starts mid-September with a one-month session of classes reviewing the main analytical tools of economics. While mostly theoretical, classes make constant reference to the applications of these concepts and methods. An evaluation takes place at the end of the month. Those who show deficiencies are required to retake these exams before the end of the first semester of the programme.

Exams are organised at the end of each semester, in January and in June. Retakes take place in August.

2. Personal Study Project

Each student completes a personal study project on an economic topic of special interest to him.

The research project is continuously developed throughout the year and subject to critical appraisal from fellow students and professors. The project consists of either a case study, a theoretical or an empirical analysis.

At the beginning of the year, students may propose a subject. Then they meet with a supervisor to define its objectives and assess  the feasibility of their proposal. An alternative is for the students to choose from a list of topics proposed by the professors.  Regular presentations and feedback from supervisors contribute to the learning experience. Students submit their final report either for the June session or the September session.

3. Geographical location

The Schools of Economics of the University of Namur (UNamur) and the Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain) are located within a short distance from each other.

The two institutions provide courses in the areas of specialisation of their professors. The students have access to pedagogical resources (libraries, languages and computer labs...) in both universities.

The courses and seminars take place mainly at the University of Namur. Once a week, classes are given at the University of Louvain-La-Neuve.

Studying in Namur

The Universities of Namur and of Louvain-La-Neuve have a long tradition of excellence in teaching.

The experience gained by their staff in American universities and in numerous research or assistance activities elsewhere (India, Poland, Andean countries, Sub-Saharan Africa, to quote only the most regular contacts) guarantees both the relevance and excellence of their teaching.

Most of the activities of the programme take place in Namur.

The university campus of Namur is set in the historic centre of the city, now the capital of Wallonia. It is only 60 km south of Brussels, the Capital of Belgium and Europe.

A few courses of the programme take place in Louvain-La-Neuve, a dynamic city founded in the early 1970's and located half-way between Brussels and Namur.

Teaching Staff

Programme Coordinator

Romain Houssa

Resident Professors

Jean-Marie Baland (UNamur)
Guillem Cassan (UNamur)
Alain de Crombrugghe (UNamur)
David de la Croix (UCLouvain)
Romain Houssa (UNamur)
Arastou Khabiti (UClouvain)
Fabio Mariani (UCLouvain)
Catherine Guirkinger (UNamur)
Lorenzo Trimarchi (UNamur)
Yuliya Rychalovska (UNamur)

Tutors

Stéphanie Weynants (UNamur) 
Nicolas Larrea Avila (UNamur)

Visitors

Mary Van Overbeke (Aide à la Décision Economique - A.D.E.)
Tatiania Goetghebuer (Aide à la Décision Economique - A.D.E.)
François Libois (Paris School of Ecoomics)

Partner institutions

University of Namur

School of Economics
Rempart de la Vierge, 8
5000 Namur
Belgium
smide@unamur.be
Tel: +32 (0)81 72 48 23

Catholic University of Louvain

Economics School of Louvain
Collège L. H. Dupriez
Place Montesquieu, 3 (bte 1)
1348 Louvain-La-Neuve
Belgium
smide@unamur.be
Tel: +32 (0) 10 47 34 30

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Admission requirements

The SMIDE programme is open to candidates with a keen interest in the development of economic policies in developing countries and international economic relations.

  • International candidates must have either:
    • A second-cycle university degree obtained after 5 years (300 credits) of university study,
    • A university degree obtained after 4 years (240 credits) of university study and at least 2 years of relevant professional experience.
  • Belgian and European candidates must hold a "Master 60" degree or the equivalent of 240 ECTS.

For all candidates:

  • Adequate training in economics is required. If the jury deems the candidate's knowledge of economics insufficient, they may be required to take the "Concepts and Methods in Economics" course. Successful completion of this non-certifying course grants access to the SMIDE programme.
  • The jury reserves the right to interview candidates, and the interview may be conducted in English. However, candidates will not be allowed to request an interview if their application has been rejected.

 

Deadlines for applications 2025-2026:

  • EU candidates: 30 September 2025
  • Non-EU candidates (requiring a visa): 28 February 2025
  • ARES scholarship: the call is now closed (17 November 2024)

 

Visit the following links for rurther information on registration for:

 

Course start date: mid-September

Language of instruction: English

For specialisation master’s admissions, please contact the registration office: inscriptions@unamur.be

Contact (for further information on the programme):
Faculty of Economics Management Communication Politics (EMCP) — UNamur
Rempart de la Vierge, 8
5000 Namur
Belgium
Tél.: +32 (0) 81 72 48 23
smide@unamur.be


 

 

Description

The Specialized Master in International and Development Economics programme (SMIDE) is entirely provided in English; it is a 60 ECTS programme and is co-organised by the University of Namur and the Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain).

Most of the classes are held in Namur with one day of classes per week held in Louvain-la-Neuve. Students will have full access to the educational resources offered by the two universities (libraries, IT, etc.).

The academic year begins with the « Concepts and Methods » module - a review of the basic concepts in economics and quantitative methods. The programme is then organised around two main themes. The first axis studies poverty and institutional structures required for the effective functioning of a market economy in the context of developing countries. The second axis analyses macroeconomic and trade policies that promote economic growth and macroeconomic stability in a context of poor countries, emphasising their effects on the well-being of local people.

Depending on their specific situation, students can be offered the possibility either to do an internship while they are developing their personal project or after having graduated from the programme.

The two main axes can be detailed as follows:

  • Macroeconomics and Trade Policies:

The Macroeconomics theme addresses the issues of stabilisation and structural adjustment. It focuses on the determinants of the balance of payments, the domestic growth rate, the employment level and structure, the inflation rate, public sector accounts and external debt.

Particular attention is devoted to the interaction between exchange rates, interest rates, monetary and fiscal policy instruments and the real sector of the economy. Country experiences are used to assess the relative costs of adjusting or not adjusting unsustainable policies in the face of external constraints, as well as to evaluate the contribution of various policy regimes or macroeconomic policy packages to the policymakers’ objective of sustainable and balanced growth.

The programme studies also the opportunities and constraints confronted by an economy when it integrates into the world market economy. Special attention is devoted to such themes as the relation between economic growth and international trade, the role of multinational firms, the localisation of activities, the management of adjustment costs after trade shocks. 

Trade and policy aspects are also analysed: the strategic behaviour of firms and governments and the role of regional and supra-regional organisations.

  • Development and Institutions:

The classes offered in this field cover the key economic development issues of today.  These include:

  • poverty: key concepts and measures of poverty and inequality are introduced. The current state of poverty in the world is examined and students are challenged to conduct a critical analysis of current Millenium Development Goals.
     
  • micro-finance: the formal and informal roles of lending institutions in developing countries are examined and microfinance as a “revolution” in development is discussed.
     
  • education: the decision to invest in education at a micro and macro level is examined and a discussion on what we know today about the returns to education is opened.
     
  • gender issues: A presentation of Amarta Sen’s “missing women” analysis is made.  A discussion on the discrimination of women within households is also opened and the main models of decision-making, including intra-household bargaining models, are presented.
     
  • poverty - environment linkages: after an introduction to environmental economics and its key concepts, we present what we know today about the relationship between development, poverty and environment.
     
  • the role of development institutions: different economic approaches to institutions are presented, discussed and illustrated. Particular attention is given to transaction patterns, contracts, informal arrangements and social norms. The underlying functions of economising on transaction costs, overcoming incentive issues and ensuring coordination are highlighted. Two major fields of application of institutional analysis are covered in detail: the “poverty rights “system and agrarian contracts.

The programme will also cover the effects of different policies in terms of poverty, equality and how these problems can be reduced.

Finally, the programme concludes with a personal project on an economic topic chosen at the beginning of the year. This research project is developed during the year on the basis of lectures and readings and is subjected to critical evaluation by students and teachers. The project consists of a case study, a theoretical or an empirical analysis which leads students to document, analyse and argue a research question with rigour.

International mobility and openness

The audience of the Specialized Master in International and Development Economics is mostly international.

The teaching staff also is international and most of the teachers have direct experience in developing countries.

There are also funding/scholarship opportunities for students from developing countries.  For more information on how to apply, timetable and practical arrangements can be found at the ARES website.

Teaching methods

The diversity in the experiences and geographical origins of the teaching staff, guest lecturers and students will contribute to the broad variety of issues dealt within the lectures and seminars.

Students therefore constantly refers these issues with those of his homecountry.

Aims and objectives

The objective of the Specialized Master in International and Development Economics (SMIDE) is to train present and future actors of development to be able to devise realistic and original reforms and programmes based on a sound economic analysis and well-adjusted to the social and political context of each country.

At the end of their training, graduates are in a position to:

  1. Design and implement innovative programmes of economics and human development, inspired by a rigorous economic analysis and adapted both to local aspirations and international constraints.
  2. Understand and assess the models and methods used by international organisations, foreign governments and consultants in development assistance and international economic relations.
  3. Play an educational role, in particular by clarifying for local decision-makers and to the general public the rationale and usefulness of economic reforms in their local context. 

At the end of their training, graduates will also be able to:

  • Communicate clearly and persuasively both in English (written and oral) and in graphical form.
  • Manage a project, collaborate within a team, and exercise leadership.

Assessment

Written and oral exams, individual and group projects, oral presentations, development of a personal project... Several modes of assessment coexist within the SMIDE programme.

The exact assessment method for each teaching unit is described on the webpage of the teaching unit and can be found in the ‘Programme’ tab.

Final evaluations are held at the end of each semester, in January and June. And second-chance examinations are held in August-September.

 

Career opportunities

The qualifications developed through the Specialized Master in International and Development Economics are especially appreciated by :

  • Governments (ministries, national institutes of statistics…)
  • International organisations
  • Banks, insurance companies and other international firms
  • Non governmental organisations
  • Universities
  • Trade associations