Course description
This course gives you an introduction in practical themes in development economics. It starts by describing human capital, and its contribution to economic development. It emphasizes the importance of education to economic and social development, the challenges of delivering quality education in developing countries and practical approaches to improve educational outcomes and community development. Also, the relation between education, fertility and population growth is addressed. Further, the course will cover the economic and management aspects of the environment, and more specifically, the energy market. The course will include the analysis of the indicators relevant to a healthy energy sector in developing economies, the development or strengthening of private and public institutions and the attraction of private investment. The energy sector is used as an illustration, but findings can be applied to other industries that are crucial to manage living standards and a country’s environmental condition. Overall, this course will give students clues on how the management of human capital and natural capital can make or break economic development.
Course outcomes
Upon the completion of this course, students will be able to:
• Interpret human capital data and its relation to economic development
• Advice policy makers on how to optimize returns on health care investments
• Advice policy makers on how to optimize returns on educational investments
• Advice policy makers on how to manage/control the rate of population growth
• Make use of terminology relevant in managing natural resources
• Interpret energy consumption and production data
• Advice the government on how to execute its roles in the energy sector: both in public activities and in assigning tasks to the private sector
Course contents
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🔽 1 h 35 min | Human Capital: Education and Health in Economic Development
- What is human capital?
- How to achieve better human capital by education?
- How to achieve better human capital by optimizing healthcare?
🔽 1 h 23 min | Educational Systems and Development
- What makes a successful school system?
- Private schools
- Linking education, skills and economic development
🔽 1 h 02 min | Fertility and its Relation to Education
- Fertility and family planning
- Optimize family planning to get economic development
- Education versus fertility
🔽 2 h 51 min | Natural Capital, the Environment, and the Energy Market
- Introducing environmental economics concepts
- The energy options
- Africa’s energy consumption
- Government roles in the energy market
- Private sector role
- Reform and privatization in the energy sector
This course includes:
6 h 51 min recorded video
Downloadable resources (books and articles)
One year access
Access on mobile and TV
Advanced Level
Certificate of completion