ILO Academy on Rural Development
© Shutterstock
ILO Academy on Rural Development
15 September–3 October 2025
Key features
Study visits
Visit rural entrepreneurs and cooperatives in Italy
South South cooperation
Work with peers on topics of key interest
Knowledge fair
Exhibit and learn about innovative tools and approaches
Introduction to the course
The 2025 Rural Development Academy comes at a crucial time as rural economies worldwide strive to create opportunities for decent work and promote social inclusion in an era of environmental change. Rural areas increasingly face challenges like climate impacts, biodiversity loss and shifting agricultural demands. This Academy will provide a platform to explore how a just transition can foster inclusive and resilient rural economies. A just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all must be rooted in social justice and responsive to intergenerational needs, including the aspirations of young women and men in rural areas, leaving no one behind.
Who attends this course?
The 2025 Rural Development Academy targets: - The ILO's tripartite constituents; - Policymakers involved in rural development; - Practitioners from development partner agencies and international organizations; - Social innovators and entrepreneurs; and - Academia and members of civil society organizations.
What will I learn?
Participants in the Rural Development Academy will explore strategies that advance decent work and just transition in the rural economy, emphasizing rights, sustainable livelihoods, occupational safety and health, gender equality, and more.
The Academy favours an integrated approach, in which employment policies, social protection frameworks and environmentally responsible practices support a balanced and equitable development model based on social dialogue. It aims to ensure that rural communities are empowered in the shift towards greener, more digitalized and more sustainable and inclusive economies.
Academy structure
The Academy will consist of two interconnected phases. The programme will start with a two-week online phase, followed by a one-week face-to-face programme at the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin, Italy. To receive the Rural Development Academy certification, participants need to complete both phases of the programme.
