MA Global Governance and Sustainable Development

The MA Global Governance and Sustainable Development degree is taught within Middlesex University’s School of Law where we deliver high-quality teaching and research, and provide a supportive learning environment, helping students to achieve excellent academic results.

A topic of global importance since the late 1980s, 'sustainable development' refers to "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (Brundtland Report, 1987). It encompasses the responsible utilisation of environmental resources and the establishment of social and economic contexts which enable that. Sustainable development is at the heart of global policies such as Agenda 21, which emerged from the UN Earth Summit in 1992 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals enshrined in a UN resolution as recently as 2015.

Quality of governance is increasingly recognised as central to sustainable development, which requires achieving just and legitimate outcomes in major global socio-economic and environmental issues such as poverty, climate change, food security and biodiversity loss.

Aims of the Programme

• 01 Provide students with in-depth knowledge of evolving theoretical and conceptual, governance and policy debates within the field of sustainable development.
• 02 Develop students' systematic critical awareness of the complexities that inhibit the ability of national and international policies to effectively address global challenges such as climate change and poverty.
• 03 Provide an intellectual setting in which students can develop an appreciation of substantive issues in relation to processes of governance and public policy formulation in different societies and contexts.
• 04 Develop a critical understanding of notions such as sustainability, social justice, and rights.
• 05 Enhance opportunities for senior/managerial level employment through advanced intellectual, communication, technological and work-related skills.
• 06 Provide students with a multi-disciplinary understanding of the changing trends in sustainable development.
• 07 Foster students’ ability to collect, analyse and interpret information on key issues related to their programme of study and to use this to construct reasoned evidenced arguments.
• 08 Apply research, policy, legislation and best practice principles to complex situations relevant to their own area of work or career aspirations through a substantial piece of independent study.

Why Study MA Global Governance and Sustainable Development?

With the rise of sustainable development as a major issue of the international policy agenda it is essential that global intergovernmental and governmental agencies, international organizations, international businesses, and other groups/organizations have access to professionals that hold the necessary analytical skills and knowledge to address these challenging governance issues in varying contexts. This master's degree aims to provide students with skills to become such a professional - enhancing their knowledge and skills with respect to global governance approaches and instruments focused on environmental sustainability and social justice.

Students will explore various approaches to how intergovernmental and national strategies, policies and projects pertaining to these global governance issues are formulated, implemented and evaluated. The critical case study approach used in teaching will enable students to develop the skills required for working in the private sector or with global and national public or third-sector agencies leading and managing change in a global environment.

Middlesex University Dubai is reputed in the region for its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the fields of social sciences. Since the early days of the campus in Dubai, we have offered a range of undergraduate degree programmes in international development studies and global social science. More recently, we have introduced undergraduate provisions in Law and international politics and a postgraduate programme in international relations.