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Paper short abstract:

This paper examines how graduate programs in development studies prepare practitioners to engage with diverse data. By analyzing programs across different contexts, it explores training in qualitative methods, ethnography, and fieldwork to address gaps critical for inclusive policy-making.

Paper long abstract:

During the transition from the MDGs to the post-2015 agenda, there was growing recognition that measuring what we treasure is more important than treasuring what we measure. For instance, in addressing gender equality, the MDGs relied on a limited set of indicators, such as the ratio of girls in education, women’s employment, and women’s representation in parliament. In contrast, the SDGs introduced a more comprehensive approach, establishing a stand-alone goal for gender equality (SDG 5) and emphasizing the collection of sex-disaggregated data across multiple goals, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of gender issues. However, in addressing complex development challenges, data collection often privileges quantitative methods, supported by standardized tools, as the benchmark for measuring progress. While such data is critical for tracking trends, insights gathered through on-the-ground interactions are frequently dismissed as anecdotal, raising a critical question: how are development practitioners trained to engage with diverse forms of data? This paper examines how graduate programs in development studies prepare future practitioners to handle multiple forms of evidence. By comparing programs in Korea, a newer OECD DAC member, with those in traditional donor countries like the UK, it explores the availability of training in qualitative methods, ethnography, and fieldwork preparation. The analysis aims to assess gaps in key skills such as conducting interviews, managing community relationships, and triangulating evidence. The paper argues that addressing these gaps is crucial for equipping future practitioners to produce “good data” that reflects the complex realities of sustainable development and supports more effective, inclusive policy-making.