On the afternoon of March 25, 2024, at the National Economics University, the E-PhD Program organized a seminar with the theme "Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) as a tool for understanding the development policies and programs.".
The seminar welcomed invited guest Professor Asad Islam – Director of the Centre for Development Economics and Sustainability (CDES) and Professor at the Department of Economics, Monash Business School, Monash University. Representing the E-PhD Program's academic committee, Associate Professor Dr. Bach Ngoc Thang from ISD attended alongside doctoral students from both the English and Vietnamese programs, as well as other interested delegates.
Opening the seminar, Associate Professor Dr. Bach Ngoc Thang extended a warm welcome and expressed gratitude to the invited guest, faculty members, doctoral students currently enrolled in the program, and all interested attendees who participated in the seminar. He then introduced the speaker: Professor Asad Islam serves as Director of the Centre for Development Economics and Sustainability (CDES) and Professor of Economics at Monash University, while also holding the position of Affiliate Professor at J-PAL, MIT. He is the Chief Investigator of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Eliminating Violence Against Women (CEVAW). His research employs field studies utilizing methods such as RCTs to evaluate the effectiveness of policies and programs. He has published extensively in leading economics journals and related publications.
During the seminar, Professor Asad Islam addressed the importance of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) as a crucial methodology for evaluating programs and policies. Practical insights into RCT implementation were discussed, drawing from Professor Asad Islam's extensive experience in conducting RCTs across various issues and contexts. This presentation aimed to provide valuable guidance on initiating your own field experiments, emphasizing essential considerations for students, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers when designing RCTs to evaluate different policies and programs.
At the conclusion of the seminar, on behalf of the E-PhD Program, Associate Professor Dr. Bach Ngoc Thang expressed sincere appreciation to the speaker for dedicating time to engage in discussion and share research experiences. The seminar provided substantial beneficial knowledge for doctoral students and interested delegates.
This scientific seminar represents a regular activity within the series of seminars that are part of the E-PhD Program at the National Economics University over recent years. The objective of this seminar series is to serve doctoral students, young researchers, and faculty members interested in research fields including economics, business, management, and other interdisciplinary areas within the social sciences. This seminar series provides a platform for faculty and researchers to exchange ideas, connect, and collaborate on research endeavors.
Selected images from the seminar:
Article and Photos: Institute for Sustainable Development
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