The National Strategy for Sustainable Development defines strategic guidelines to high-level qualifications for a sustainable and competitive economy, efficient and preventive management of the environment, natural resources. It also promotes the creation and diffusion of scientific knowledge for a more active role of Portugal in the cooperation of global sustainability. 

The Master?s in Development Practice (MDP) program is shared by 8 schools of Polytechnic of Porto and it is designed to provide the necessary knowledge and skills for development practitioners, policy professionals at the local and national level, private sector professionals and high-level project managers. 

The MDP program is directed towards young professionals with previous substantial work experience who want to acquire new competencies and skills and to become part of a new generation of generalist practitioners prepared to confront complex sustainable development challenges and able to innovate and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Why choose Development Practices?

• The Global Association of the Master?s in Development Practice (MDP) programs is a network of 37 MDP programs;
• Provides students with the knowledge and practical skills to analyze and diagnose the multi-dimensional challenges of sustainable development such as extreme poverty, climate change, and infectious diseases;
• It focuses on four intersecting macro disciplines: health, natural, social, and management sciences; 
• The program is based on the CDIO?s methodology ? CONCEIVE, DESIGN, IMPLEMENT, OPERATE;
• The field training experience provides students the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of integrated development approaches within the real-world context.