The two years at the TERI SAS, MA-SDP programme, has helped me build an academic foundation across several dimensions of the development sector as well as provided me with practical understanding through field immersion programmes. The programme is modern and flexible. The University has a significant network with distinguished academicians, policy makers, and practitioners who illuminate the programme with practical realities. The opportunity to choose electives across specializations/departments is helpful in acquiring the desired skills. I am very grateful to this institute for giving a very valuable and memorable two years of my life.

Addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) demands a multi-disciplinary approach and the MA-SDP programme fits well with this requirement. The potential for experiential learning distinguishes this unique program, which is designed to create a cadre of experts who will solve the most defining problems of the planet and the society. The course provided me core skills such as proposal writing, policy evaluation, project finance and management, and data analytics. Rigorous classroom training in areas such as development theory, public health, environment, agriculture, energy, and climate change was remarkable. The presence of eminent experts, assignments that matched real-life tasks and field immersion throughout the course helped me gain skills and exposure that presentations and books lack. Learning with peers from across the globe set the foundation for teamwork and respect for diversity.

MA-SDP course at the TERI SAS has indeed been an experience of discovering a diverse range of approaches to development through a new set of eyes. Sustainable Development as a new gizmo has been conceptualised by scholars, policy makers and development organisations as capable of addressing the growing developmental and environmental challenges. The MA-SDP course has taken this gizmo of ‘Sustainable Development’ and transformed it into a more practical and on-field experience through its multi-dimensional coursework and diverse domain knowledge of its faculty. This course has encouraged students to critically and analytically evaluate and appreciate the theoretical formulations of the concept through a pragmatic and applied approach to development and environmental challenges. The course has thus been a discovery of merging new practical techniques with theoretical knowledge through strong research grounding; the discovery and moulding of new ideas to address emerging challenges and lastly a discovery of a spirit of collaborative team work with peers and faculty alike.

Indeed just like trees, ideas too take time to sprout and grow, and TERI School of Advanced Studies is one such place where not only ideas originate, but they are also nurtured and cared for until they bear fruits

Enrolling in the Master’s programme in Sustainable Development Practice (MA-SDP) at TERI SAS was one of the major decisions for me. The Programme, with its emphasis on the interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning engages students in such a manner that every assignment requires reflecting upon the learning from other subjects of the curriculum. Besides theoretical orientation, intense field exposure through the course ‘Group Practicum’ not only helped me to grow as a person but also helped me to develop the team spirit and provided opportunity to overcome the complex challenges encountered in the field and get experienced in real-life situations. Moreover, the vast array of the subjects offered, guest lectures delivered by eminent speakers, workshops conducted, and the support received from the faculty-led to broaden my thinking and added new perspectives to my learning and knowledge gaining. The programme and its international connect through the course ‘Global Classroom’ added a new dimension to the learning process. Henceforth, I feel privileged to be a part of this programme. 

I had a background in engineering, and pursuing an MA in SDP was a great decision. I wished to work in the social sector and often lacked the tools to contribute. The first two semesters of the Programme introduced us to a wide range of topics and tools in environment, policy building, project management and a practical experience working with a grassroots organisation. The third and fourth semesters can be tailored according to individual goals, developing skills as required by selecting from a wide range of electives and internships. The project I developed during my final internship got funded by the Alexander von Humboldt foundation for further research.

Masters in Sustainable Development Practice aided me to view issues in the world as interwoven. This systems thinking approach not only assisted me to get a birds eye view but also an in depth understanding of the problems on ground. With an intensive field based curriculum, it equipped for my job as a manager to understand the nuances in the Public Health Care System of Bihar. The uniqueness of the programme is also its diversity with students from different subject backgrounds and cultures come together to comprehend complex issues at hand. Joining the programme was indeed an enlightening and thought provoking experience that shall stay with me for a life time.

Being from an engineering background, switching to the development sector wasn’t easy. But M.A. (SDP) at TERI SAS offered me the much-needed flexibility to gradually adapt to the required skill set and learn the fundamentals of ‘Sustainable Development’.

Apart from being a perfect blend of theory and practice, the hands-on experience one gets in the field does wonder to one’s understanding of the real developmental challenges.

To say the least, the programme developed an integrated approach in me which helped me see the development from the perspective of being environment-friendly, economically feasible and socially inclusive.

I joined the MASDP program in 2011 as a mid-career graduate student. It was and continues to be a transformative experience through its alumni association. It nurtures balance of thought, perspective, inquiry, ideation, planning, programming, and application. It fosters wholesome individuals both personally and professionally. I have practiced sustainable farming full time on my family farm, tackled South-to-South Development Cooperation on Green Growth between India and Africa and consulted for a Sports for Peace Not for Profit uniting citizenry through athletics. I contribute to the Regional Sustainable Partnerships as Northeast Representative to the Statewide Committee, Northeast board member and workgroup member for Agriculture and Food systems. MA-SDP made me a multi-disciplinarian and collaborative thought leader with a deep commitment to integrated solutions.

I enrolled in TERI SAS’ MA SDP programme in 2013 with a vague notion of working the world of sustainability. My interest in sustainability began in earnest while I was studying Economics as an undergraduate and was exposed to environmental and resource economics. My choice of TERI SAS to nurture my ambitions was simple, it was, and is quite simply the premier institution in India when it comes post-graduate studies in the domains of sustainability, climate change, natural resource management and rural development. I wanted to convert my interest in sustainability into a lifelong avocation and TERI SAS was critical in fulfilling this wish. TERI SAS and the MA SDP programme through its focus on practical and effective learning, imbued me with the skills needed to succeed in the dynamic world of sustainability where one needs to retain a lifelong passion for learning, adapting to new situations and constantly straying from comfort zones. Apart from the use of traditional classroom-based teaching methods, the use of on-field training, team projects and site-visits were extremely effective in translating theory into practice and allowed me to sharpen critical skills such as presenting, public speaking, stakeholder consultations, data collection and analysis and preparing high-quality reports, all of which have been extremely handy in my chosen profession of sustainability consulting. I will forever be grateful to TERI SAS and the MA SDP programme, my professors and fellow students for creating a holistic environment for learning and growing both as professionals and as people.

Enriching, thoughtful and adventurous journey! MA SDP helped me to explore the potential in me. The course curriculum is structured in such a manner that it helps to acquire and master skill sets which are crucial in the domain of development. The coursework combines rigorous theoritical engagement with intense field exposure to learn about sustainability challenges and practices. Interdisciplinary approach of the programme is unique and widens ones thinking horizon. Group Practicum, minor and major internships nourish team spirit, inculcate systemic thinking and problem solving skills. The roller-coaster journey of two years helped me to grow as a person and learn the best in ‘sustainability’ studies. Proud to be a part of MA SDP Family!

MA SDP has been a landmark course in my career which has provided me deep insights into various dimensions of the social sector like project management, natural resource management, social research methods, and so on. USP of this particular course is that it's highly adaptable to one's interest and priorities which makes it easy for a student to choose cross-cutting fields and contribute to multiple SDGs. In addition, TERI SAS has amazing and ever- encouraging faculty who are always highly invested in students and their projects. What's more, is that a lot of concepts I learned at TERI SAS has been successfully applied in my work at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

I am an alumni of MA Sustainable Development Practice and I found the practical aspect of the program most enriching as it helped me understand the nuances of policy formulation and implementation. The exposure of field visits, internships and major project grew my interest in the functioning of the Government and in a multi-actor governance model. The diversity of the subjects and inter-disciplinary approach of the course helps to develop a unique perspective that development practitioners must adopt.