Linh Hoang (Vietnam – GLODEP Cohort 2020–2022)

I am currently working as an Evaluation Manager at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the UK. As part of the Eden Centre at LSE, I design and conduct research and evaluation to promote education enhancement, social mobility, and equality. The knowledge and experience gained from GLODEP have enabled me to analyze and tackle socio-economic challenges with intersectional lenses and inclusive approaches. That has directly contributed to the meaningful engagement with my topics of research, and the development of relevant, practical recommendations.
 
Measuring the impacts of equal access to quality education on socio-economic development has been a central part of my career as a researcher and evaluator. GLODEP was an invaluable opportunity for me to discuss and explore this topic through an inclusive curriculum and in an engaging global classroom. The combination of the three universities’ strengths in development studies and foresight, development economics, and international development has created a unique program for international students like me to delve into the most pressing development issues.
 
Through GLODEP, I reflected on my perception of development, in which I realized development can be inevitable in one part of the world and irrelevant in another, with the cultural and social contexts playing a crucial role. Furthermore, development should be viewed as a concept borne out of and driven by the locals – development for the people and by the people. I also learned that inclusivity and diversity can mean disagreement but towards mutual understanding and respect, which is essential for global collaboration.
 
Among a variety of skills and knowledge I have gained from GLODEP, I would say I make the most use of analytical skills and skills to connect local challenges with the wider society and the world, especially in the age of Generative AI.