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Transforming the System from Within: Experiences of a Development Cooperation Masters

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Socially Just Pedagogies, Capabilities and Quality in Higher Education

Abstract

This chapter analyses the experience of the Development Cooperation Master’s Degree at the Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain), as an example of a socially just pedagogy taught within a managerialist university system in a depoliticised context of development. From a historical and systemic standpoint, and supported by the analysis of documents from secondary information sources and six in-depth semi-structured interviews, the chapter looks into two issues particularly relevant for understanding the Master’s approach: participation and critical practice in development. Conditions that enable and constrain the development of these two issues include the Master’s origins and influences, teacher’s backgrounds, the existence of formal spaces to ensure participatory governance, diversity of students and teachers, informal learning spaces, and also tensions within a managerialist system of governance. Being aware of the complexity and challenges of transforming the university system, we have evidence that the Master’s, based on inclusive and participatory governance and promoting social just pedagogies, is impacting on students’ learning in the direction of social justice.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Universitat Politécnica de València, Valencia, Spain

    Alejandra Boni & Victoria Pellicer

  2. Engineering Projects Department, Universitat Politécnica de València, Valencia, Spain

    Carola Calabuig

Authors
  1. Alejandra Boni
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  2. Victoria Pellicer
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  3. Carola Calabuig
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Research on Higher Education and Development, University of the Free State , Bloemfontein, South Africa

    Melanie Walker

  2. Centre for Research on Higher Education and Development, University of the Free State , Blomfontein, South Africa

    Merridy Wilson-Strydom

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© 2017 The Author(s)

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Boni, A., Pellicer, V., Calabuig, C. (2017). Transforming the System from Within: Experiences of a Development Cooperation Masters. In: Walker, M., Wilson-Strydom, M. (eds) Socially Just Pedagogies, Capabilities and Quality in Higher Education. Palgrave Studies in Global Citizenship Education and Democracy. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55786-5_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55786-5_10

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-55785-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-55786-5

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

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