Description

In an increasingly interconnected world facing urgent challenges—climate crisis, widening inequality, inadequate healthcare, and fragile democratic institutions—the demand for inclusive, participatory, decolonial, and ethical approaches to global development is more critical than ever. As digital technologies continue to reshape economies, societies, and governance, they open new avenues for citizens, professionals, organisations, and institutions to co-create solutions that advance the public good.

The Master’s in ICT for Development and Social Good is rooted in a rigorous and forward-looking understanding of the intersection between three foundational disciplines: development studies, computer science, and information systems. Rather than treating these domains in isolation, our program is intentionally designed to integrate them—developing professionals who are fluent across technical, organisational, and socio-political dimensions of digital transformation.

This integrated profile—what we call a ‘functional professional’—is essential for the future of digital development. Graduates will be equipped to draw insight from diverse fields, collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams, and apply digital innovation to real-world challenges with both strategic vision and cultural sensitivity. In doing so, the programme overcomes the limitations of earlier ICT4D initiatives that too often remained siloed, technocentric, or disconnected from lived realities on the ground.

International development agencies, public institutions, and non-profit organisations increasingly seek professionals who combine strong technical capabilities with critical thinking, ethical awareness, and deep contextual understanding of the environments in which they work.

A Legacy of Innovation in Digital Development Education

This Master builds on over a decade of experimentation, research, and collaboration. It emerged from the University of Turin and ImpactSkills, building on the success of the pioneering online course ICT Innovation for Development, developed by Ong2.0 (now known as Impactskills) within the “Innovazione per lo Sviluppo” programme in 2014–2016. That initiative attracted over 430 applicants from across all continents and demonstrated the global appetite for high-quality, practice-oriented ICT4D training.

The first edition of the programme has started in 2018. Today, the Master’s in ICT for Development and Social Good is supported by the Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo (AICS) and Compagnia di San Paolo, within the programme Digital Transformation per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (AID011487). It is implemented in partnership with 13 Italian NGOs and a network of specialised partners, including:
ACCRI, Amici dei Popoli, Aspem, CeLIM, CISV, COMI, COPE, COSPE, CVCS, CVM, LVIA, OSVIC, Progetto Mondo MLAL, along with Fondazione Politecnico di Milano, SAA School of Management, WeMake S.r.l., Associazione Senegalesi Torino, Coordinamento Comuni per la Pace (Cocopa), and Opere Sociali Marelliane.

What will You Gain

By joining this Master’s programme, students will develop both a solid academic foundation and the applied capacities needed to contribute meaningfully to digital development and innovation initiatives. Specifically, participants will:

• Develop a critical understanding of emerging frameworks and methodologies for social innovation, allowing them to engage thoughtfully with contemporary development strategies.
• Gain expertise in planning, implementing, and managing ICT4D initiatives across key sectors, including health, agriculture, education, financial inclusion, and humanitarian response.
• Acquire hands-on experience with a range of tools, platforms, and digital applications through intensive live lectures, collaborative workshops, and on-campus crash courses.
• Build the analytical capacity to assess ICT4D initiatives at local, national, and global levels—understanding both their potential and their limitations.
• Learn to adapt and localise technologies to diverse contexts, while anticipating ethical risks, social exclusions, and systems-level failure.
• Cultivate a reflexive mindset—challenging assumptions, embracing complexity, and applying adaptive and participatory methodologies to foster innovation and resilience.

This programme is not simply about digital technologies—it is about learning how to use technology ethically, contextually, and collaboratively to support human development nd capabilities. We invite students who are ready to think critically, act responsibly, and contribute boldly to a more just digital future.