Robert Leurs

Lecturer

International Development Department

Contact details

Telephone +44 (0)121 414 4970

Email r.leurs@bham.ac.uk

International Development Department
School of Government and Society
Muirhead Tower
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston, Birmingham,
B15 2TT, United Kingdom

Qualifications

1989 PhD, University of Manchester

1985 MSc, University of Manchester

1982 Licence, University of Paris

1981 BA, University of Kent

1980 Diploma, University of Paris

Teaching

I direct the IDD Masters Programmes on International Development and Poverty Reduction / Development Management (including the Distance learning version of the latter) and convene and teach on three modules (Rural Poverty and Development, Social Analysis of Development and NGOs in a Changing International Context), in both campus based and distance learning modes

Research

Research interests

  • Participatory development
  • 'New' development professionalism
  • Process approaches to projects
  • Bureaucratic reorientation / learning methods
  • Participatory poverty assessments
  • Participatory rural appraisal (PRA)
  • Participatory learning methodologies

Current and recent projects

  • Religions in Development RPC, DFID
  • Evaluation of General Budget Support - Vietnam Case Study
  • Study of Donor Practices in Partner Developing Countries

Other activities

Previous experiences

  • Project Officer, DFID funded Project in the Planning and Management of Rural Development in Nigeria, based at Ahmadu Bello University
  • Researched and co-drafted a DFID commissioned Guide for the Analysis of Social Development Projects

Publications

Leurs, R and Tomalin, E (2011) Mapping the Development Activities of Local Faith-based Organisations in Pakistan, India, Nigeria and Tanzania, forthcoming Religions and Development Working Paper

Davis, C, Jegede, A, Leurs, R  Sunmola A and Ukiwo, U (2011) Comparing Religious and Secular NGOs in Nigeria: Are Faith-Based Organisations Distinctive?, Religions and Development Working Paper 56

Leurs, R, Tumaini-Mungu and Mvungi, A (2011) Mapping the Development Activities of Faith-based Organisations in Tanzania,  Religions and Development Working Paper 58

Leurs, R (2005), Aid disbursement delays: measures, causes, solutions, Public Administration and Development, Vol 25, (5) 379-387

Leurs R (2003) Critical reflections on rapid and participatory rural appraisal, in Eade D, (ed), Development Methods and Approaches: Critical reflections,A Development in Practice Reader, Oxfam GB

Leurs R (2001) Evaluation of Rakai District Development Programme Uganda, Report on Monitoring and Evaluation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Danida, Copenhagen

Leurs R (2000) Evaluation of the Monitoring and Evaluation Systems in Rakai District Council, DANIDA Evaluation Secretariat, Working Paper

Leurs R (2000) 'The role of the State in enabling private sector development: An assessment methodology', Public Administration and Development

Leurs R (1998) Current challenges facing participatory rural appraisal in Who Changes?, in Blackburn J, Holland J (eds), IT Publications, London

Leurs R, Barnes M, Hall D, McIver S, Stewart J (1997) Citizen Participation: A Framework for Evaluation, School of Public Policy Occasional Paper 11

Leurs R (1997) Critical Reflections on Rapid and Participatory Rural Appraisal. Development Methods and Approaches, D Eade, J Rowlands (eds), Oxfam Publications, pp. 220-226

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