In February 26th 2013, Institute of Social Sciences of Vietnam changed its name into Vietnam Academy and Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development was renamed to Institute of Human Geography under the Decision no. 238/QĐ-KHXH. It has functions of conducting theoretical and practical research on basic human geography, aiming at providing scientific grounds, making policies and setting up strategies for the socio – economic and environmental development as well as national security. It also undertakes the function of providing consultancy and training relating to human geography and taking part in developing sciences relating to human geography.
Institute of Human Geography has its short name as IHGeo and the head office locates in Hanoi.
Institute of Human Geography has functions and tasks as followed:
- To submit 5 – year strategies and yearly plans of VASS to President and carry out the implementation after approval.
- To do theoretical and practical research on socio – political geography, economic geography, population geography, geo-ecology and environment, regional geography; to build the information system of geography and develop the GIS software as well as the maps for the regional and local development; to research on local and international issues involved with environment and sustainable development; to research and write the journals for provinces and build a system of journals.
- To improve the scientific researches linked with postgraduate education and human resources development at required qualification of VASS and other local or foreign organizations. The purpose is to contribute to the building and development of human geography in Vietnam.
- To give feedback to projects and programs on social and economic development, policies on important areas of ministries, provinces assigned by VASS.
- To advise, transit and apply technology in human geography and related sciences; to provide services on socio – economic development according to the functions and tasks of Institute of Human Geography.
- To organize events with local and international partners on sciences and technology and training based on current regulations.
- To sign technological research, transition and application contracts with organizations and institutions as well as scientists based on the resources and capability; to sign contracts of providing consultancy and supervision services with offices, organizations, project management, NGOs based on the current low and regulations of VASS.
- To exchange scientific information with local and international offices based on the current regulations; to manage documents and library of Institute of Human Geography; to publish scientific publications and to disseminate research results as well as promote these knowledge’s to the public.
- To manage human resources including job positions, staff structure and the number of staff; to manage assets and expenditure of Institute following the State’s regulations and the assignment of VASS.
- To implement other tasks assigned by President of VASS.
In the past 34 years, Institute of Human Geography has changed from Economic Geography Department to Socio – Economic Geography Department and Center of Human Geography. The institute has matured and become one of the most developed research center of VASS.
Today, Institute has 41 staff in which 4 of them are working by contract while other 35 are working under unlimited contract. Most of them have completed university and postgraduate education in which 7 of them have doctorate degrees, 16 have master degrees while 4 are joining doctor training courses and 3 join in master training course.
The organization structure and management of Institute have board of management, 2 departments to support Director, 8 research departments and 2 member units (library and magazine). There are other member units with 13 head departments and deputy departments.
Also, Institute even has a Scientific Committee with experienced experts in all fields as geography, economy, society, and environment to give advisory for board of management in such issues as how to build the orientations and organize scientific events of Institute.
Institute has Communist Party Union, Labor Union, Youth Union, and Department for the woman development and Veterans Association.
Doing scientific researches is the prior and key task of Institute during the building and development. In the past 34 years, the Institute has hold and joined in hundreds of projects and obtained certain results when doing on basic sciences, application, policies, and advisory as well as local and international projects across the country.
Since 2008, Institute has been conducting 3 research topics at State level and 18 topics at Institute level, for example:
- Research work at State level: Environment issue in the social development and its management in Vietnam until 2020; (2009 - 2010).
- Research work at State level: Research on building mechanism and policies between regions to response to Vietnam’s climate (2012- 2015).
- Research work at State level (Nafosted Fund): Policy framework of improving the green growth in Vietnam in the period of 2011 to 2030; (2012 - 2014).
- Topics and projects at Ministry level: focus on doing researches on theoretical issues and experiences in studying on sustainable growth; basic issues on environment aiming to the sustainable growth in Vietnam and basic solutions to environmental protection and sustainable growth in Vietnam.
Together with implementing projects and scientific programs as tasks assigned, Institute has also taken part in hundreds of projects to do researches on application and services of ministries and industries, for example:
- Topic: Building the scientific base for determining the border line and improving the state management in Vietnam – China border (Department of Border – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2001-2002);
- Projects: "Migrant project and Resettlement (belonged to Project of upgrading the 1A Highway)"; (WB – Ministry of Transport, 1994 - 2000, 2001, 2002); "Project of upgrading irrigation for Central provinces and Hochiminh city" (WB – Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 1998-2002); " Project of upgrading irrigation for Central and Southern provinces " (WB - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 2000 - 2002); "Project of developing urban transportation in Hanoi" (2001 - 2002),…
The above researches have had significant contribution to the implementation of many projects and socio – economic development programs of Vietnam at various levels. They could be the evidences for setting the position of Institute in the field of research and consultancy.
Expanding the international relationship in the field of scientific research and training is one of the most important concepts in the research activities of Institute. Institute has successfully hold many events with other countries such as Soviet, Eastern Europe countries, France, Canada and Netherland so on
Some national projects and programs have been effectively conducted as collaborated project between Vietnam and France on building “Vietnam’s Atlas” (1989 - 1992); Project between Vietnam and Netherlands on “Improving the ability of local authority and planning for socio – economic development in Vietnam rural – the 2nd period” (2006 - 2007).
In the collaborated framework on sciences, Institute has sent many teams and researchers to join in survey, research trips and discuss about sciences in many countries as Eastern Europe countries, Soviet, France, Canada, Netherlands, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, China, Thailand, Singapore, Korea… The Institute also received the visits of many guests from many countries and international organizations each year. Researchers of Institute has joined in and contributed their research results in many conferences, international seminars such as The 5th International Geographical Congress (Paris, France, 1984); International Conference of Geographical and Historical Teacher (Lille, France, 1989); International Conference on Geography (Paris, France, 1990). Recently, researchers of Institute have joined in conferences about environment and sustainable growth as well as the workshops on green growth in Vietnam and around the world.
In 34 years, Institute of Human Geography has released dozen of books, Atlas works, journals and hundreds of scientific articles on specialized magazines.
Many of them have had useful contribution to the scientific researches, management and setting policies on socio – economic growth, environment and resources protection and national sustainable growth of whole country; serving for the teaching and education at universities and postgraduate, and especially for disseminating knowledge and promoting Communist Party’s ideas and law to the public. This will improve the modernization and industrialization as well as international integration of Vietnam.
Institute and its staff also joined in editing and publishing many scientific works with local units over the periods such as:
- Geographical Journals of province: Geographical Journal of Lang Son, National Politics Publishing House, 2000; Geographical Journal of Hà Nam, National Politics Publishing House, 2005; Geographical Journal of Hoa Binh, National Politics Publishing House, 2005; Geographical Journal of Nam Dinh, National Politics Publishing House, 2003; Geographical Journal of Thai Nguyen, National Politics Publishing House, 2008…
These above journals are research works which could be considered as an encyclopedia for readers, local and foreign researchers, management, policy makers and public. Journals described the geography, nature, history, economy, culture, society, population, ethnics, system of politics, and security of provinces in depth, as a result, they have become works with highly human values for next generations.
The magazine and library of Institute have also obtained certain success. Today, the Human Geography Review is the mouthpiece of Institute of Human Geography and a forum of scientific experts and for those who are interested in the advance and research results in the fields of human geography, environment and sustainable growth of Vietnam as well as the world. The Human Geography Review was established in 2001 and changed name to Magazine of Sustainable Growth Studies in 2006. And in 2013, when the Institute changed its name, the magazine was also renamed as now.
After 12 years of establishment and development, the Review is getting stable and improving its quality. Up to now, the Review has published more than 400 research papers and scientific information which disseminate and promote the policies of Communist Party and Government as well as State law; exchange the scientific knowledge and information of geography, economy, society, environment and sustainable growth for research activities; provide training for public and serve for management as well as making policies on socio – economic development, environmental protection and sustainable growth in Vietnam.
In recent 8 years, the Review has published near 300 articles and scientific works in which there are many of them attracted the attention of readers as well as policy makers.
In the past 34 years, Institute always pay attention to information, document and library activities including material conditions and resources. It has built up a professional database and informatics system in order to meet the increasing demand of doing researches and training in the Institute.
Up to now, the library of Institute of Environment Research and Sustainable Growth has had more than 10,000 books, documents, magazines, scientific publication of Vietnam and the world in such faculties as natural geography, geopolitics, genecology, economic and social geography, society and environment. The library has also thousands of documents which can be used for research, teaching, and training as well as improving the qualification of Institute’s staff.
In recent 5 years, the Institute also focuses on improving the digital library and information system by building the online library while the website of Institute basically obtains certain results.
Besides, union activities and development of social and political organizations are one of significant tasks which attracted the attention of Institute during its establishment and development. Up to now, Institute has had unions as: Communist Party Union, Hochiminh Youth Union, Labor Union, Veterans Association, and Department for the development of Women…
The Communist party union of Institute is growing up day after day and plays a leader’s role in all activities. The union now has 15 members and is always a strong union with 100% of member excellently completed their task every year. In recent 5 years, the union has had 7 new members in which 4 of them are excellent members of youth union.
The activities of labor union always work closely with the union, managers and other unions of the Institute. This will help to improve the united and connection between units and encourage staff to complete their tasks in all fields. Members also try their best to supervise and pay attention to the benefits as well as the spiritual life of each other. Each year, the Institute of union is always evaluated as a strong union of the VASS union.
Youth union is facilitated to join in training courses and improve their political knowledge, working skills as well as foreign language by taking part in scientific programs and projects as well as social and cultural events.
Today, the Youth Union of Institute has 16 members and all of them actively join in all activities of the Institute. They are the key members of the defense team or group of preventing and fighting fire, cultural movement and sport activities so on. Each year, 100% of members are evaluated as good and excellent and there are 4 members who are introduced to join in the Communist party of Vietnam.
Also, department for the development of women has certain contribution to the development of the Institute.
