"Understanding Myanmar’s Development"
In recent years, the international community has witnessed many positive changes in Myanmar, including greater space for civil society, an expansion in freedom of expression and evident government concern about environmental and local livelihood issues resulting from large-scale development projects. With new foreign investment laws and the lifting of economic sanctions by Western countries, Myanmar is opening rapidly to the global market economy. With the country’s plentiful resources and the input of foreign investment, Myanmar is ready to pursue economic growth under the name of “development”.
However, decades of isolation and economic stagnation have left many people in Myanmar destitute. Education and research essential to the country’s development have advanced only slowly, and there has been little space to create a development model aimed at the betterment of society and releasing people’s potential. As it integrates with regional and global markets, Myanmar needs to maintain a balance between economic liberalization and social and human development. Therefore, research capacity in the area of "development" is essential if the country wishes to progress in a sustainable, socially beneficial way.
However, decades of isolation and economic stagnation have left many people in Myanmar destitute. Education and research essential to the country’s development have advanced only slowly, and there has been little space to create a development model aimed at the betterment of society and releasing people’s potential. As it integrates with regional and global markets, Myanmar needs to maintain a balance between economic liberalization and social and human development. Therefore, research capacity in the area of "development" is essential if the country wishes to progress in a sustainable, socially beneficial way.
About the Research Fellowships
The research fellowship program "Understanding Myanmar’s Development," offered by the Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD) at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University, with funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada has three main goals: (1) to expand knowledge of development processes in Myanmar; (2) to strengthen the capacity of researchers from Myanmar, encouraging them to become actively involved in the study of development policy and practice; and (3) to promote academic exchange and dialogue among researchers from Myanmar, Thailand and other countries in the region and beyond.
The program is open to Myanmar researchers working in both academic and non-academic sectors, including independent researchers from the media, NGOs and the private sector. Annually, up to 10 twelve-month fellowships will be awarded to fund social science research in the following general areas:
A number of fellowships may be reserved for those from Myanmar living in neighbouring countries who wish to study border issues and the migration of Myanmar citizens abroad.
The program is open to Myanmar researchers working in both academic and non-academic sectors, including independent researchers from the media, NGOs and the private sector. Annually, up to 10 twelve-month fellowships will be awarded to fund social science research in the following general areas:
- Social and economic development
- Agrarian transformation, environment and climate change
- Health and health care systems
- Media and society
- Salween River basin
A number of fellowships may be reserved for those from Myanmar living in neighbouring countries who wish to study border issues and the migration of Myanmar citizens abroad.