More On What I Will be Doing in Bhutan

From July to December 2009, the Royal Institute of Management in Thimphu, Bhutan will be hosting me as the first American Fulbright scholar to the country of Bhutan. In 1990, the Royal Institute of Management was granted a Royal Charter. The Royal Institute of Management is currently the only Bhutan management institute primarily involved in training and supporting the civil service of Bhutan. (This is also my area of expertise--public policy and public administration.) The Royal Institute of Management also engages in training, research and consulting.

Much more about the Royal Institute of Management can be found here: http://www.rim.edu.bt/

While in residence at the Royal Institute of Management I will be in the university's Department of Management Development. Starting on August 8, 2009 and ending about mid-September I will be teaching approximately 45 graduate classes on the topic “Development Theory & Practice.” From mid-September until the end of December, I will conduct research on Bhutanese national tobacco policy and administration, assist in on-going research efforts, and provide input on curriculum development. My research on national tobacco policy will be coordinated with the Royal Government of Bhutan’s Office of Economic Affairs and other Bhutanese government agencies.

Quite an interesting schedule, I think. And I will definitely be hitting the ground running as soon as I arrive. From about June 29-July 3, 2009 I will be involved in an intensive seminar on Bhutanese culture and cuisine (much more about this later as we plan to take many trips and post pictures!), functional Dzongkha (Bhutan’s native language) and Bhutanese society and government.