^{Image credit: Nutcha Charoenboon
Caption: fieldwork in Champassak province}

Following the funding success from the Institutional Research Support Fund, Dr Marco J Haenssgen, Assistant Professor in GSD, and his colleague Thipphaphone (Kee) Xayavong were again fortunate to receive £2,000 co-funding from the Institute of Advanced Study to support the pump-priming research activities of their “Learning Space” project portfolio.

In collaboration with Institut de recherche pour le développement Laos and the University of Health Sciences, this project aims to stimulate inclusive social policy and challenge the assumed automatic link between formal education and better health behaviours. The research takes place in Champassak province in southern Lao PDR, building on theory-based enquiry and anti-oppressive arts-based research methods.

The first steps of the project are already well underway as the research team is undergoing local ethical approval, liaises with potential partner communities, organisations, and stakeholders, and as it develops the next-stage funding applications to support the growth of the research portfolio.

Marco J Haenssgen

Thipphaphone (Kee) Xayavong