Presentation on International Development Studies

At the meeting, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Quang Minh introduced the Department of International Development Studies under the Faculty of International Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities. This major was established under Decision No. 3086/QD-XHNV-TC signed by the former Rector of the University on December 22, 2014. With the opening of this major, the Faculty of International Studies (University of Social Sciences and Humanities) is the first institution in Vietnam to train in the major of International Development Studies. As planned, the Department of International Development Studies will teach the following subjects: Introduction to International Development Studies, Development Economics, Human Security, International Humanitarian Assistance, Development Project Management, Global Issues, and Sustainable Development.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh (Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities) introduces the Department of International Development Studies

Prof. Edward Lahiff expressed his desire to cooperate with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities to build the International Development Studies (IDS) major in Vietnam through sharing teaching experiences, building programs, especially establishing libraries and translating necessary documents for the IDS major. In the near future, Prof. Edward Lahiff and Prof. Nicholas Chisholm will organize courses on IDS to share IDS teaching experiences with staff of the Department of International Development Studies, Faculty of International Studies. The first course will last one week (from March 21, 2016 to March 26, 2016).

Professor Edward Lahiff introduces the history of international development studies

In the first presentation, Prof. Edward Lahiff gave an overview of the history of development studies, development issues, development research training models in the world, as well as the methods and curriculum of development studies at the University of Cork. Accordingly, development studies is a multidisciplinary social science with the aim of issues related to developing countries. Historically, development studies have focused largely on issues related to social development (such as health, education, housing, clean water, social security policies, human rights) and economics (such as economic growth, structural change, trade growth, employment/unemployment, transportation, infrastructure, electricity, roads, schools and stations). The scope of international research can be extended to communities and regions outside the developing world.

Development studies is taught differently in different parts of the world. In most of the United States and continental Europe, development studies is associated with area studies (Latin American studies or African studies) and is taught in traditional academic departments. In Asia and Africa, where development challenges are clearly defined and closely related to public policy, development studies is associated with state-led economic development efforts and is often taught in development research institutes (as in India).

Working scene

At University College Cork, International Development Studies is taught over 12 weeks in the first semester of the first year. Before each class, students are assigned readings for discussion in class. Questions posed by the lecturer in class revolve around fundamental development issues such as the concept of IDS, measures of development, gender and development, colonialism, development theories and aid. In addition, students can conduct independent research on development using a rich source of reference materials, professional journals, scientific articles and websites of organizations such as the World Bank and the Irish Aid Foundation (part of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs).

As a developing country, Vietnam can be a suitable destination for international development research and will develop its own way of teaching and training in this field. Vietnam has taken many effective reform steps to attract foreign investment, promote economic growth and reduce poverty to soon transform from an agricultural country to an industrialized and modernized one. In this context, promoting international development research is extremely important to compare and summarize the development experiences of other countries into the actual conditions of Vietnam.