Our decision-making processes throughout the pandemic have been grounded in our values. We have been intentional in our approach to stay true to our mission. This year, we have continued to implement strategies to connect our network through peer-peer learning, hone our model for change and community-driven development, and tackle challenging issues like climate change.
Read MoreIn recognition of our collective impacts on the climate and the news from the IPCC earlier this month, we wanted to share a beautiful piece written by one of our alumni about her hometown in the Mekong Delta. Stay tuned as we continue to grapple with a warming planet, and lay the groundwork for what we plan to do going forward.
Read MoreDr. Chu Manh Trinh is a leader in natural resource management and community-led development in Vietnam, and we are lucky enough to work with him on our Vietnam programs. His passion is teaching and working alongside communities, and here he shares some of the lessons he's learned in his long career.
Read MoreOur mission is centered around building relationships with communities and people whose ways of life are grounded in deep place knowledge. When communities are able to find and maintain a mutually beneficial balance between people and land, everyone is better off.
Read MoreWe have some big news. When our normal operations halted last year due to Covid-19, it gave us a chance to have some long-overdue conversations about our name and work. Since then, we've spent a good deal of time brainstorming, writing, discussing, and rewriting, and we've finally reached a point we feel good about.
Read MoreIVS acknowledges the events of the last week and aims to act in solidarity with those who continue to suffer from white supremacy and racism in the United States. It is imperative to bear witness to racial violence, acknowledge the pain it causes, reexamine our own biases, and support community initiatives to begin to change a broken system.
Read MoreBipin Lama, the Program Manager for our Nepal Program, and his friends took action when they noticed their neighbors in the Thamel District of Kathmandu going hungry. Together they purchased food and supplies to cook 100 meals per day for those in need. Our goal is to provide at least one meal a day until businesses are allowed to open.
Read MoreInstitute for Village Studies was built on the core value of reciprocity. Our goal has always been to support community-driven development and create lasting cross-cultural relationships. We believe this is now more important than ever. This year we are a launching a new program in Vietnam, and currently raising funds for 15 Vietnamese students to participate in a two-week field study program.
Read MoreWe are proud to announce the IVS LEAD Board, which is a diverse representation of Washington's brightest women and men aged 20-40 years old. Apply Today!
Read MoreThe Social Action Plan is a defining factor of a study abroad experience with the Institute For Village Studies. It's an opportunity for a student to utilize what they learned and work with the local communities they visit. Learn More!
Read MoreThe Social Action Plan is a defining factor of a study abroad experience with the Institute For Village Studies. It's an opportunity for a student to utilize what they learned and work with the local communities they visit. Learn More!
Read MoreWhether you study abroad in a remote Nepali village on the Biocultural and Diversity in Nepal trip or camp in a Thai National Park on the Elephant Conservation in Thailand travel program, integrating into local communities will have a significantly positive effect on your overall experience abroad.
Read More