Master of Development Studies

For Master of Development Studies students, there is GOODS, a postgraduate student group dedicated to supporting Development Studies students in their academic, professional and social pursuits, while at the University of Melbourne. GOODS organises, facilitate and promotes extracurricular social events and activities that enables students the opportunity to share ideas, communicate and learn outside of the formal classroom setting. Learn more here.

Graduate profile: Angelina Yusridar – Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator, Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund South and Southeast Asia and founder of the digital platform and movement Tulisan Puan

Angelina is a development practitioner, Master of Development Studies graduate and Australia Awards alumna, whose work sits at the intersection of evidence, equity and social change.

As MEAL Coordinator for a German-based NGO, Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund's Environmentally Sound Transformative Humanitarian WASH Programme (ECT WASH), she supports monitoring, learning and adaptive programming across 14 countries in Asia, Africa, Central America and Haiti.

Angelina has more than a decade of experience spanning development and humanitarian intervention, gender equality, disability inclusion and organisational learning.

She is particularly interested in how reflexive practice can challenge power, strengthen locally led development and bridge critical development theory with everyday practice. Angelina is also the founder of Tulisan Puan, a platform that amplifies feminist perspectives from the Global South, particularly Indonesia.

Reflecting on her experiences in the program, Angelina shared:

" I chose the Master of Development Studies at the University of Melbourne because I wanted to deepen my understanding of the complexities of development beyond what I had experienced in my professional work.

Having worked with international NGOs, I often found myself questioning why some well-intentioned interventions created meaningful change whilst others did not, and how development could be more equitable, locally grounded and responsive to the realities of people's lives. The program's interdisciplinary approach, bringing together perspectives from politics, sociology, anthropology, economics and gender studies, offered exactly the kind of critical learning enviornment I was looking for.

What I enjoyed most was the opportunity to actively participate in workshops  and discussions rather than simply listening to lectures. The workshops created a space where students from different countries and professional backgrounds could exchange ideas, challenge one another's assumptions and connect theory with the realities we had encountered in our work.

I also particularly valued the guest lectures from development practitioners and researchers, who openly shared the complexities, dilemmas and uncertainties of working in the sector.  Those conversations reminded me that development is rarely about finding perfect solutions, but about continuously questioning, learning and adapting.

The program has had a lasting influence on both my professional practice and my engagement beyond work. It strengthened my ability to navigate the complexity of development practice such as balancing the priorities of communities, local partners, organisations and donors whilst remaining committed to equity and critical reflection.

At the same time, it inspired me to contribute beyond institutional settings through Tulisan Puan, a grassroots platform that I founded  to share reflections and encourage public conversations on gender, social justice and development from Global South perspectives.

Whilst my professional role enables me to contribute within development institutions, Tulisan Puan gives me the freedom to engage more openly with communities and the public. For me, these two spaces allow me to continue applying what I learned at the University of Melbourne in ways that I hope contribute to more thoughtful and inclusive development practice."

Graduate profile: Elena Robertson – Program Specialist (Research, Policy and Practice), Edge Effect

Originally from the US, Elena Robertson knew she wanted to work in international development from the age of 16. By the end of her undergraduate degree, she’d undertaken field research in India, Thailand and Ghana – but after working in the international development sector for about three years in Vietnam and Cambodia, Elena decided to pursue a masters degree to deepen her theoretical knowledge and expand her professional network.

“I knew I wanted to pursue work in Southeast Asia,” she says, “and given the proximity of Australia to Southeast Asia as well as the many Southeast Asia experts at the University of Melbourne” decided to apply.

Prior to studying at Melbourne, Elena says she had little theoretical training in feminist and gender studies, but that her “passion for feminism and gender equitable development programming blossomed during [her] studies”.

“The most enjoyable aspects of the program were the professors, the coursework, and conducting field research for my minor thesis in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia,” Elena says. “In Cambodia I had the chance to meet with incredible feminists and gender equality activists and to hear about their experiences in the sector and as women in Cambodia, some of whom had experienced the Khmer Rouge.”

Now working for Edge Effect, a Melbourne-based company which “assists humanitarian and development organisations to work in genuine partnerships with people with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and sex characteristics”, Elena says the “theoretical knowledge, research skills, and critical thinking skills” she gained during her studies have been very useful.

“The work we do at Edge Effect is ground-breaking. The expertise of my colleagues means we are well-connected across the development and humanitarian sectors, and I am proud to be part of such an exemplary team who are committed to changing the sector for the better.”