The impact of urbanization on rural development

A scientific workshop on the theme "The Impact of Urbanization on Rural Development: Practices and Lessons Learned" was held on November 30th. The workshop was part of the independent state-level research project "The Impact of Urbanization on Rural Development in the Period 2011-2020," led by Associate Professor Dr. Hoang Ba Thinh.At the workshop, experts and scientific researchers exchanged views on practical issues and lessons learned from the impact of urbanization on rural development. Professor Trinh Duy Lam (Chairman of the Vietnam Sociological Association) addressed the modernization process and values ​​within Vietnamese families. Professor Trinh Duy Lam stated that, under the influence of many factors, including industrialization, modernization, and urbanization, family issues are becoming increasingly diverse and complex. Typical examples include the increasing emphasis on individualism, personal values ​​and interests, and a more open and looser nature of family relationships. Based on survey data from two communes in Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province, Associate Professor Dr. Hoang Ba Thinh (Director of the Center for Population, Environment and Social Issues Research) discussed the impact of urbanization and industrialization on many aspects of rural life, raising issues that need to be addressed, including the capacity, policies, regulations, and funding for village and commune management teams. Therefore, caring for the development of a team of qualified and capable commune and village officials – a crucial factor in the construction of new rural areas – must be identified as a regular, immediate, and long-term task in the Party's revolutionary cause. Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Quy Thanh (Deputy Director, Institute for Quality Assurance in Education, Vietnam National University, Hanoi) pointed out the cultural changes in rural areas under the impact of urbanization: changes in village architecture and space, changes in relics, beliefs, festivals, and changes in relationships within the village; The project "The Impact of Urbanization on Rural Development in 2011-2012," conducted over two years, surveyed the impact of urbanization on rural development in 10 communes across five provinces and cities: Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Binh Duong, with a sample size of 3000 representative rural households. To date, the sub-projects have completed their thematic reports and organized seminars. The first scientific conference was held on August 25, 2011, in Hanoi, where scientists discussed theoretical issues related to urbanization and rural development. The second workshop, themed “The Impact of Urbanization on Rural Areas in Southern Vietnam,” was held on September 8, 2011, in Ho Chi Minh City. It discussed the various aspects of transformation and development in Southern Vietnam's rural areas under the influence of urbanization. Currently, the project has published 16 articles in journals such as Sociology, Philosophy, Social Sciences, and Human Studies, along with several reports presented at domestic and international scientific conferences.