Institute of Development Policy

The Institute of Development Policy (IOB), part of the University of Antwerp, is a leading centre for education, research, and outreach in development studies. With around 60 academic staff, IOB combines multidisciplinary research, high-quality teaching, and policy engagement to foster global change.

Its academic offer includes three Advanced Master programmes that bring together students and staff from around the world, alongside short-term professional courses and a renowned PhD programme. Education at IOB is deeply rooted in cutting-edge research, aiming to bridge knowledge and practice to achieve tangible policy impact.

IOB’s research covers a broad range of topics (social policy, gender, governance of natural resources, evaluations, sustainable development, …) and focuses particularly on the most marginalized countries in the Global South, while also engaging in comparative studies across regions. The institute also hosts the Great Lakes of Africa Centre and works on the politics of data and digital development as a transversal theme.

Through its programmes and partnerships, IOB prepares future agents of change and contributes to building more just and inclusive societies worldwide.