ODI prepared a 1.5-day course for the staff of the Governance and Institutional Development Division (GIDD) of the Commonwealth Secretariat to provide an overview of key development trends and debates from both a conceptual and a practical perspective. The course also gave an opportunity to GIDD staff to share their views on what the latest research and thinking on development may imply for their ongoing work and to reflect on the kinds of changes/adjustments that might be necessary so that they can address developmental challenges more effectively.