Digital technologies are radically transforming international development landscapes.
ICT4D (Information and Communications Technologies for Development) is becoming a force for economic and social development around the world, particularly among the poorest and most marginalised communities.
However, despite digitalisation promising immense opportunities, it also creates disparities in access and power.
When it comes to the formulation and application of digital development strategy, policy or practice, understanding the critical elements emerging in digitalisation globally is essential.
This course will:
- Give you an overview of the applications of ICT4D.
- Equip you with the practical frameworks and approaches to promote inclusive digital transformation in your digital development work.
- Access the most current evidence in the digitalisation of international development and humanitarian practice.
- Help you use practical frameworks and approaches that identify digital innovations that will improve equity, inclusion, and participation.
- Help you assess digital development practices, policies and strategies at national and/or organisational level to identify action to support more inclusive and equitable approaches.
By the end of the course, you will be able to identify gaps or areas of improvement in a digital development practice, policy and strategy, by learning from existing examples, experts, and resources.
You will gain insights into digital power dynamics in low-middle income countries, allowing you to champion inclusive, people-centric digitalisation policy and practice across diverse contexts.
Dr Caroline Khene is a Research Fellow at IDS. Her work focuses on developing and facilitating an enabling environment for digital citizen engagement and ‘trust’ in civic tech through strategy formulation, responsible innovation, and user experience (UX) design. Caroline has directed two digital citizen participation projects in Southern Africa, MobiSAM and MobiSAfAIDS, and participates in advisory roles for digital citizen participation, open government, and the digitalisation of public services.
Dr Tony Roberts is a Research Fellow at IDS. He has been working at the intersection of digital technologies, international development and social justice since 1988 as a volunteer, lecturer, practitioner, trustee and researcher. Tony has founded and directed two international development agencies. For a full list of Tony’s publications and blogs please see his website Appropriating Technology.
Dr. Becky Faith is a Research Fellow at IDS and joins this course as a co-facilitator. She is a co-Lead of RT4 of the ESRC Digital Futures at Work Research Centre at the University of Sussex. Becky has fifteen years’ strategic and programme experience working in ICT4D and technology for human rights organisations. In the Digital Cluster, her work focuses on digital inequalities, gender and technology and the future of work.
Their research has been published in the form of peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, conference papers and book reviews.
Guest Facilitators
Moinul Zaber is a computational social scientist focusing on AI, Machine learning, Data science, human machine interaction and technology regulation and policy. Zaber has worked as a Senior Academic Fellow at the United Nations University (UNU-EGOV) for 5 years and is now a visiting Professor of Reitaku University, Tokyo. Zaber has 20 years of experience conducting research focusing on computational science.
Karishma Banga is a Lecturer in Digital Economy at King’s College London and is the Digital Trade Policy Advisor at the Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network, UK. Funded by Oxford University, UNU WIDER, IT for Change, and the Asian Development Bank, Karishma has carried out several research projects on how digital production technologies, automation, and e-commerce are changing the nature and scope of work in developing countries. Her ongoing research focuses on the effects of Artificial Intelligence on re-shaping work in low and middle-income countries.
Pedro Prieto Martín, Consultant for MEL Innovation and Technology at Complex Thinking and an Honorary Associate at the Institute of Development Studies. His work closely aligned with both the Digital and Technology Cluster and the Participation, Inclusion, and Social Change Cluster. Pedro brings over a decade of experience helping organisations and communities harness technology and collaboration to address complex, “wicked” problems.
Gabriella Razzano, co-founder of OpenUp and a Research Fellow at Research ICT Africa and an Atlantic Senior Fellow in Social and Economic Equity. Her expertise extends to her role as a legal consultant and researcher, where she focuses on issues related to transparency, open data, technology, and law, driving efforts toward more inclusive and accountable governance through digital innovation.
Gbenga Sesan is the Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative and has led the Lagos Digital Village, a joint project of Junior Achievement of Nigeria, Microsoft and Lagos State Government. He also serves on the UN’s Internet Governance Forum (IGF) High-Level Leadership Panel and the Scientific Panel on Global Standards for AI Auditing, launched at the 2023 Nobel Prize Summit.
Digitalisation cuts across a number of sectors within international development.
- This course is for anyone involved in digital development practices, policies and strategies, from research and programme staff to parliamentary advisors and policy analysts.
- While this course is open to people with varying levels of experience, participants will ideally already have some experience in international development.
- Participants will need to have an undergraduate degree in any field to actively engage in the course.
- Please note that participants need to be self-funded or funded by their organisation to attend this course.
IDS short courses provide a unique opportunity to bring your own challenges and experiences relating to your work or research for discussion, to learn from your peers and grow your professional network.
This five-week course on Inclusive Digital Transformation in International Development is tailored for development professionals and practitioners, offering a dynamic blend of interactive learning methods. The course structure combines live webinars, pre-recorded lectures, practical case studies, and collaborative group activities.
The programme runs on Thursdays throughout March 2025, with exact webinar timings to be announced. Participants should allocate 4-5 hours per week, including 2 hours of live interactive sessions, and additional time for independent study and group work.
A flexible pre-course induction session is provided to familiarise participants with the digital learning platform and address any technical concerns before the formal course commencement. Participants can complete this orientation at their convenience.
Each week features an interactive webinar led by experienced researchers and practitioners in digital development globally. These sessions combine presentations with dynamic discussions, ensuring a diverse and comprehensive learning experience. The curriculum integrates perspectives from various global contexts, providing participants with a well-rounded understanding of inclusive digital transformation in international development, as presented below:
Week 1: Historical and Emergent Landscape of Digital Development
- Mapping the digital agenda of development actors and agencies.
- Trends and concerns in emergent digitalisation, and Artificial intelligence in key sectors.
- Case study analysis of digital development strategies – gaps and opportunities.
Week 2: Navigating Power in Digital Development and Understanding How Digital Technologies Perpetuate or Mitigate Exclusion
- Models of data (data colonialism vs data sovereignty approaches), socio-economic implications of different approaches, and trade agreements as exercising power in digital development.
- Visible and hidden power in digital spaces and platformisation, exploring the limitations of existing approaches and governance.
- Understand and mitigate the risks of using AI in Digital Development programmes.
- Case study analysis of existing projects or programmes.
Week 3: Mechanisms for inclusive digital transformation
- When and why are adaptive/agile approaches essential in digital development design and implementation?
- How should deliberation be applied in sectoral practice in designing the digitalisation of processes and services?
- Design a digital development budget, based on programme needs and feasibility.
Week 4: Digital Rights, Digital Citizenship & Digital Authoritarianism
- Opening and closing of civic space – engaging in examples and facilitators experience.
- Incorporating digital rights practice in digital development strategy.
- Assess the digital rights implications of your project of interest.
Week 5: Pathways forward: Connecting our Learning
- Share, present, and discuss potential steps for applying new knowledge in professional contexts.
- Exchange constructive feedback with peers and facilitators on growth areas in practice.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Understand the historical and emergent landscape of digital development.
- Apply concepts and analytical approaches to assess digital power in digital development.
- Identify how digital technologies can perpetuate or mitigate exclusion related to gender, race, location, and other key factors.
- Incorporate mechanisms for inclusive digital transformation: deliberation, design, and governance.
- Understand the state of digital rights and surveillance practice in low-middle-income country (LMIC) contexts.
