Each year since 2007, the "Tam Đảo School in Social Sciences” (JTD) has been offering training in analytical methodologies of the social sciences – geography, economics, statistics, socio-anthropology, history, etc. – to nearly 100 participants from Southeast Asia (students, university lecturers, researchers, civil servants, development practitioners). The training takes place both at the Việt Na
m Academy of Social Sciences (VASS in Hà Nội) and in residence at the Tam Đảo hill station close to the capital, or in another university in Central or South Việt Nam. SINCE 2010, A CHANGE IN THE REGIONAL SCALE
Following the success of the first three editions from 2007 to 2009, and in order to support JTD’s development, the VASS Graduate Academy of Social Sciences (GASS), the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), the École française d’Extrême-Orient (ÉFEO), the University of Nantes and the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) decided to confirm their joint commitment within the framework of a four-year partnership agreement, 2010-2013, then for the 2014-2015 period. By building on the experience acquired over the first three years, the regional project set itself new ambitions:
- A specific theme covering a regional or international issue is chosen each year, which is then broken down and debated using different methodological and crosscutting approaches;
- The first two days of the training and exchanges are concluded by a wrap-up session that allows us to approach our debate from an interdisciplinary angle;
- In order to preserve a strong group dynamic and a wide and relevant educational approach, the trainees are divided among four thematic workshops of 20 people lasting five days. At the end of these workshops, the trainers and trainees get together for a day to present the conclusions of the analytical work of each workshop;
- In order to extend their geographical influence, the JTDs receive trainees from throughout the Southeast Asia region. This regional extension reinforces the reputation and visibility of the school in the region and allows us to widen its network of scientific exchanges and collaboration. A REGIONAL PLATFORM OF PARTNERSHIP SYNERGY
Following the preceding editions organised at the VASS and at the Tam Đảo hill station (2007-2012), relocating the JTD to the Universities of Đà Lạt (2013 and 2014) and then Duy Tan (2015) aimed to open up the training to a panel of trainees with diverse profiles and widening collaboration with institutions in southern and Central Việt Nam. The labelling of the JTD in the framework of the France-Việt Nam exchange year 2013-2014 gave new impetus to the scientific and educational system while at the same time emphasising its reputation for excellence. The 2014 edition also marked, at the heart of the JTD partnership scheme, the arrival of HéSam University. The financing granted met the needs of a number of shared projects: crosscutting scientific cooperation, the innovative character of the proposed platform, and its inclusion in the prospect of collaboration in terms of training programmes or research. "GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK" (GDN) 2015 AND 2016: CONSOLIDATION AND EXTENSION TO OTHER INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS
The regional/international dimension should however be consolidated in order to widen scientific networking. The recognition of the JTD during the GDN "Capacity building in least developed countries" call for applications allows us today, in close collaboration with the Royal University of Law and Economic Sciences, Cambodia (RULE), to widen the scope and influence of the training proposed in Việt Nam:
- consolidation in Cambodia and Laos;
- expansion to Myanmar and Madagascar;
- increased visibility due to putting online communication modules in 2015 (partnerships, trainers and trainees) and the recording the plenary sessions in 2016 – web site www.tamddaoconf.com. Finally, the geographic diversity, the growing number of demands for inscription – nearly 600 applications submitted in 2015 as opposed to around 100 in 2009 – is proof of the relevance of the model proposed and its ability to meet the expectations of a diverse audience: university teachers, practitioners and support institutions for political decision-making. After nine years of existence, the JTDs have thus shown themselves to be a recognised provider of skills in terms of capacity building and networking. The institutional and financial support from the French Embassy in Myanmar for this ninth edition indeed underlines the wish to accompany the JTDs in Việt Nam in its regional dimension but also to duplicate the model in other cultural areas. AN ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION
Since their conception, the JTDs have published, within one year, the content of the training days in its entirety. The publications are trilingual (Vietnamese, French and English) and form part of the AFD’s collection - Conférences et Séminaires collection for the 2010-2015 period – in co-publication with the EFEO and Tri Thức. The publications are downloadable free of charge on the sites of the AFD, the JTD and other associated partners. Stéphane Lagrée
Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
Room 204, Building B, no.1 Lieu Giai, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
Tel : (84 4) 62 73 04 43 – (84 4) 62 73 04 53
Email : [email protected]
www.tamdaoconf.com
