Major parts of Southeast Asia were colonized by European powers. The period of colonization in this region has left its mark on the people, culture and architecture alike. To analyze the latter, Professor Rüdiger Korff encouraged a selection of students to participate in a two-week excursion from March 25 to April 7, 2019 in order to trace back colonial heritage in the Southeast Asian urban environment. Our excursion took a start in Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar. This remarkable country is a special case in the Southeast Asian context due to its decade-long isolation. The democratization process since 2011 opened the nation to the outside world and enabled a more profound cultural exchange. Yet, we can tell that the city of Yangon has retained its unique beauty and mysticism. We continued the research in Penang, Malaysia, which has declared its colonial downtown area a UNESCO heritage site in order to preserve it. As we had been staying in Kuala Lumpur prior to Penang, we could identify the stark contrast between hypermodern urban development and clinging to historical heritage. Through individual research, each individual of our group explored the city in order to identify colonial buildings. Each one has its own story to tell, especially how and why it has survived more than a century of inhabitation or usage. In general, the key word to summarize the excursion is ambivalence. Renewing cities for the sake of development and preserving historical assets are incredibly difficult to balance. Every decision has to be viewed from multiple perspectives and concessions have to be made. For us students, this excursion is the very start of a continuous thought process and a particularly insightful experience for history, urbanism and struggles in Southeast Asia.

On January 10, 2019, students, lecturers and professors of the program departed to the picturesque village of Neuschönau in the Bavarian Forest for a three-day research trip. This trip is an inherent part of the Research Seminar that all students attend in their third semester in order to lay the groundwork for their master theses. The group was accommodated in a cozy youth hostel on the countryside and spent a fun and productive weekend together. On the first day, all students presented the current state of their research proposals and received comprehensive feedback from their peers and professors. Students then elaborated their proposals in student working groups and in direct dialogue with their supervisors. Apart from productive working sessions, the group enjoyed their common leisure time with various activities. ‘One highlight was definitely our adventurous snow hiking tour through a breathtaking winter landscape. Afterwards, we rewarded ourselves with delicious local specialties in a traditional Bavarian tavern. We students really appreciated the weekend as we took home not only more elaborated research proposals but also lots of great memories.’ (Benjamin Busser, student of the third batch, M.A. Development Studies)

'This program addresses the worldwide need for experts in the expanding field of development research as well as for project managers in international development cooperation and multinational firms. Students enrolled in the program gain insights into the economic, social, ethical, and cultural contexts and constraints of development. The program provides outstanding opportunities for putting theory into practice through international field research, with a strong focus on integrating quantitative and qualitative methods required to understand and navigate the complexities of economic and social development.' (Professor Grimm, Chair of Development Economics)

'Teaching in development studies allows me to connect my current research interest in transdisciplinary approaches to sustainability issues. I believe that only thinking out of disciplinary boxes will enable us to tackle social, economic and ecological inequalities. For this end we offer empirical involvement equipped with critical thinking and sound methods at the MA:DS!' (Professor Martina Padmanabhan, Chair of Comparative Development and Cultural Studies – Southeast Asia)

Each summer semester the students and professors organise a Short Film Night to present the short films produced by the students as part of the Interdisciplinary Seminar during the first semester of the Master program. The short films are produced in group work and deal with current hot topics of Development Studies such as poverty, inequality, sustainability and many more. Therefore, the students are given a statement by the professors which they have to critically discuss throughout their videos. The Short Film Night is an event to show these videos in front of an open audience at the University of Passau. In the end, the audience itself decides which video deserves to win based on content, creativity and line of argumentation. The time between the videos serves as a good opportunity for all audience members to engage with the students, professors and  staff members of the Master program to gain insights into the depth of Development Studies to possibly find the program suitable for their own future.