The consolidated Institute for Sustainable Development was Originally originally made up of The Institute for Rural Development (IRD), The Institute for Habitat and Environment (IHE) and The Institute for Community Development (ICD).  In 1998, these three entities were merged to form the Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD).  CDSA faculty and staff associated with ISD carry out Research and Consulting in in various capacities.  Knowledge and experience derived through the projects carries out by ISD is used to synthesize training modules and for conducting training courses in micro and multi level planning at the School of Development Planning. Research and consulting is carried out in the areas of Sustainable Livelihoods, Participatory Governance, Human Development, Comprehensive Mobility Planning, Urban Development and Management, Development Informatics, and Natural Resource Management.

In its dual role, ISD is the principal source of fund generation for CDSA.  In addition, ISD also acts as a conduit through which CDSA expertise and knowledge are transferred to Governmental, Non-Governmental, Bilateral and Multilateral organizations.

ISD conducts week and month-long training programmes in areas that include the following:

  • Natural Resource Management, (land, water, forest)
  • Rural Development, (village, watershed, eco development, district planning, social inputs for area development, especially food security, health and education.)
  • Urban Management (informal sector, environmental status evaluation, environmental risk assessment, traffic and transportation planning, urban regional and development planning, housing, land markets)
  • Rural and Urban livelihoods (poverty assessment, area typologies for operationalising action plans)
  • Participatory Governance (implementation of the 73rd and 74th amendments and participatory methodologies for decision making.)

To donate to help these training workshops, please click here.

ISD has conducted a number of consultancies and training programmes over the past 45 years. A partial list of ISD consultancies is provided here.