5 reasons why Gender and Development is so attractive

Vietnam Women's Academy (Vietnam Women's Union) is the first and only institution in Vietnam to train bachelors in Gender and Development. Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Kim Anh - Deputy Director of Vietnam Women's Academy, Head of Gender and Development Department - shared with PNVN Newspaper about this special major.

+ Can you tell us how important Gender and Development is in the development of society?

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duong Kim Anh: Gender and Development has been taught at the Vietnam Women's Academy since the 2015-2016 school year, and up to now, there have been 10 students - K12 Gender and Development students who have just enrolled.

As the name of the Gender and Development major, the major consists of two large areas that are closely related to each other. The training content of the major closely follows these two areas. General knowledge of the major includes: Gender analysis, Gender mainstreaming, Development project development and management.

Specialized subjects include gender in areas of social life such as: Gender in Education, Gender in Economics and Management, Gender in Politics , Gender in Public Policy; practical gender skills subjects such as gender impact assessment, gender advocacy.

The program also increases the time for practical subjects such as gender analysis and gender mainstreaming; development project development and management; and gender advocacy and advocacy.

Gender and Development is related to people, society and community, so job opportunities in Gender and Development are quite diverse. Through 6 graduating classes, we can see some specific job positions in Gender and Development:

Full-time officials, experts on gender and development, working in Party committees, State agencies, socio-political organizations from central to local levels; Officials and experts working in socio-political organizations ( Fatherland Front , Women's Union, Farmers' Association, Veterans' Association, Youth Union, Trade Union);

Full-time officials, policy makers, experts working in state management agencies directly or related to gender and development from central to local levels such as People's Committees, departments and branches: Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Culture - Sports and Tourism, Information - Communication,Education , Health, National Committee for the Advancement of Women;

Program officer, gender and development coordinator in United Nations agencies, international organizations, international and domestic non-governmental organizations; Gender consultant, social consultant; coordinator of development programs and projects; Human resources officer for agencies, organizations, enterprises, banks, credit institutions, etc.

Student of Vietnam Women's Academy

+ So, is there any difficulty in recruiting students for the Gender and Development major at the Vietnam Women's Academy?

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Duong Kim Anh: Gender and Development has been taught at the Vietnam Women's Academy since the 2015-2016 school year and is still a new major because there is no second school that trains in this major. Gender and Development enrollment faces certain difficulties:

First of all, many people do not know about the existence of Gender and Development. Besides, many people still think that Gender and Development is only related to women, studying women's issues. In fact, Gender and Development is related to people.

Besides, Gender and Development not only covers gender equality but also concerns people, human development, and community development. In addition, although Gender and Development has its own industry code (7310399), Gender and Development also needs its own job code in the near future.

With the development of society, I believe that Gender and Development will receive more attention from society and enrollment in the coming years will be more prosperous.

+ Compared to previous years, this year the number of students registering for Gender and Development is higher? What do you think is the reason?

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duong Kim Anh: Vietnam Women's Academy enrolled the first undergraduate course in Gender and Development in the 2015-2016 academic year with more than 80 students. The annual enrollment target is 80 students. In courses 6-9 (4-7 courses), the number of students decreased.

In recent years, the number of students enrolling in this major has gradually increased from the 10th to the 12th course (8th to 10th course). This year, there are 77 students enrolling in the Gender and Development major, almost reaching the level of the first course, and compared to recent years, it is an increase. This increase is due to the following reasons:

Firstly, with the attention and close direction of the leaders of the Vietnam Women's Union and the Board of Directors of the Academy in maintaining and developing the Gender and Development major, as a specific major of the Vietnam Women's Academy.

Second, Gender and Development has been recognized as a separate major code (7310399) in the Social and Behavioral Sciences block (731) according to Decision 1596/QD-BGDDT dated June 7, 2024. This affirms that Gender and Development is a scientific field that needs to be cared for, maintained and developed.

Third, social awareness of gender is increasing, so the importance and contribution of the industry to the sustainable development of society is recognized.

Fourth, Gender and Development is related to people. Studying Gender and Development is to understand oneself and others, promote the comprehensive and complete development of individuals, and contribute to the common development of the community, society and country. This is in line with the wishes and aspirations of young people and students.

Fifth, the efforts of lecturers and students in maintaining and promoting their mettle, their desire to learn, their passion for scientific research; their unceasing efforts to develop the industry. In addition, there are examples of efforts in studying, working and the success of many former students of Gender and Development in practice in their studies and work.

+ How do you expect the Gender sector to develop in the future?

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duong Kim Anh: I hope Gender and Development becomes a widely-interested field of study in society. I hope Gender and Development is prioritized in training, serving the development needs of people and society.

I hope the State will have a support policy for students majoring in Gender and Development like Pedagogy students to create attraction and competitiveness, promoting the development of the industry. Create conditions for granting scholarships to students majoring in Gender and Development.

In particular, attention should be paid to the assignment of occupational codes for the Gender and Development major, so that employment opportunities in state agencies and organizations become more open to Gender and Development graduates. I also hope that the Gender and Development major will continue to develop more firmly at the university level and be trained at the postgraduate level (master's, doctorate) in the near future.

+ Thank you very much!

On September 10, 2024, Vietnam Women's Academy held the Opening Ceremony of the 2024-2025 school year, welcoming new students of the 12th course of 11 training majors: Social Work, Gender and Development, Business Administration, Law, Economic Law, Information Technology, Tourism and Travel Services Management, Multimedia Communications, Economics, Psychology, Digital Economics.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/5-nguyen-nhan-tao-nen-suc-sut-cho-nganh-gioi-va-phat-trien-20240916144435382.htm