The PhD Innovation Build Project team are pleased to announce the launch of the Bhutan-UNE International Partnership Consortium (IPC) website. This initiative contributes to the Creating Knowledge Goal of the UNE Future Fit Strategic Plan, acknowledging and strengthening our work with international communities.

The IPC website was created within the PhD.I Build – Strategic Project and showcases the many research projects undertaken between Bhutan and UNE, in a collaboration that spans more than 30 years.  Notably this includes School of Education, Adjunct Professor, Dr Tom Maxwell’s contribution to a definitive book on His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan.

You can now read about other longstanding projects that go beyond our School of Education, including projects covering research topics in business, economics, geography and zoology.

For example, did you know the red panda plays a role in the Gross National Happiness? The work of Sangay Dorji, an officer with the Wildlife Conservation Division of the Bhutanese Government’s Department of Forests & Park Services, undertook research on this topic as part of a Master’s degree program at the University of New England.

Our site launch coincides with an opportunity to welcome to UNE three Bhutanese PhD.I candidates.  These candidates are congratulated on being awarded the UNE Vice-Chancellor’s PIRA Scholarship and you can read all them and their projects on our website’s Higher Degree Research page.

Dr Philip Thomas – Senior Higher Degree Research Coordinator