This year, GDI’s Natalie Cunningham (Senior Lecturer in Leadership for Development) will be running a series of communities of practice (CoPs) designed to support development practitioners (and those interested in pursuing a career in development) in building their resilience during an especially turbulent time around the globe.

CoPs are online, informal spaces in which participants can share knowledge, practical advice, and plans for the future. Unlike traditional webinars, participants are invited to actively engage in building knowledge for the benefit of others and using their unique experiences to work through difficult problems alongside peers.

This year’s CoPs will build on a recently piloted flexible learning course entitled ‘Developing Resilience in Turbulent Times’ – one of the University’s first micro-credentials. Designed with busy lifelong learners in mind, the course supported participants in bolstering their own resilience and that of those around them. Following course completion, participants reported a range of positive reflections.

If you’re interested in sharing and learning alongside fellow development practitioners, scholars, and students, please sign up to our first session on Tuesday 19th August 2025. We’ve set up two identical sessions to accommodate participants in a range of time zones. Following the first session, we’ll host a CoP on every third Tuesday of the month until December (see full schedule below). Sign-up details for subsequent CoPs will be released closer to the time.

All welcome. Don’t forget to spread the word!

Top image by Judit Peter

Note:  This article gives the views of the author/academic featured and does not necessarily represent the views of the Global Development Institute as a whole.

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