PGP Tracer Study on Competence Development and Career Pathways

Survey of around 800 alumni shows strong impact on career entry, long-term careers and personal development.

Sixty years ago, the Institute’s founding mandate included its Postgraduate Programme (since 2024: Postgraduate Programme for Sustainability Cooperation – PGP), which IDOS has successfully implemented ever since. The programme aims to prepare participants specifically for professional and leadership roles in international cooperation and development cooperation. On the occasion of its 60th anniversary, a new tracer study has, for the first time, systematically examined the competence development and career paths of around 1,000 alumni and alumnae.

The online survey, covering all cohorts from 1965 to 2023, reached approximately 800 former participants. The high response rate of 46 percent and participation from graduates of every cohort indicate a strong level of identification with the programme.

Key findings:

• Recommendation rate: 93 percent of graduates would recommend the programme to other young professionals interested in the field of development and international cooperation.

• Entry into professional life: 96 percent rate the programme as (very) positive for their career entry.

• Long-term professional development: 92 percent report a (very) positive impact on their overall professional development.

• Personal development: 83 percent see a strong benefit for their personal development.

• Competence development: The PGP particularly strengthens competencies in cooperation, intercultural communication, critical thinking, systems thinking, and communication skills. Graduates also report gains in project management, strategic action, teamwork, and network-building.

• Relevance of content: 72 percent of graduates work in positions with a strong connection to content related to the PGP.

Significance and outlook:

The results confirm the PGP’s valuable contribution to the development of early-career professionals and simultaneously provide important impulses for the programme’s further development. With the reforms implemented in 2024, diversity, internationalisation, and partner orientation were strengthened, new admission criteria introduced, and a scholarship-funded model established.

The study demonstrates that the PGP continues to be a key driver of competence development, networking, and career advancement in international cooperation—today as much as 60 years ago.