heppichee
Oct 21, 2025
Scholarship / To work as a policy analyst - ERAMUS MUNDUS MAPP ISS-TRACK APPLICATION [2]
During my undergraduate studies in Public Management and Policy, I became interested in why some development policies in Vietnam succeed while others stall despite similar goals and resources. Through my research on local implementation of national programs, I found that the difference often lies in governance capacity, how institutions coordinate, share information, and respond to feedback. This experience changed how I think about policy. I now see policymaking not only as design and decision, but as an ongoing process of learning and adjustment.
My research focused on the implementation gap between central policy objectives and local outcomes. Working with data from multiple provinces, I analyzed how institutional arrangements and administrative incentives affect program delivery. The findings showed that strong coordination mechanisms and local accountability were more decisive than funding levels or policy content. Presenting this research at university conferences helped me translate evidence into practical lessons for policy improvement. It also shaped my career goal: to work on governance reform and institutional strengthening in developing contexts.
The Governance and Development track of the Erasmus Mundus MAPP provides the analytical tools and comparative perspective I need to pursue this goal. I am particularly interested in Thinking about Governance and Institutions at ISS, which examines how formal and informal institutions influence policy outcomes, and Public Management and Delivery at York, which focuses on the challenges of translating policy into results. These courses align with my interest in understanding how institutional coordination and accountability mechanisms shape development performance.
The program's problem-situating approach is also appealing because it mirrors how I now approach policy issues: before discussing solutions, clarify how a problem has been defined and what assumptions underlie it. This perspective is essential in developing countries, where governance reforms are often imported without full understanding of local institutional realities. The track's focus on connecting theory with applied policy research fits the way I like to work, using data and field evidence to understand why policies succeed or fail.
The multi-campus structure of the Erasmus Mundus program also reflects the kind of governance I believe in: comparative, collaborative, and evidence-based. Learning in two academic environments and with peers from diverse policy systems will allow me to test ideas across contexts and bring lessons from Vietnam to global discussions on governance and development.
After completing the program, I plan to work as a policy analyst focusing on governance reform and institutional learning, first within an international organization such as UNDP or OECD, and later within Vietnam's public sector. My long-term goal is to help build more adaptive and accountable institutions capable of turning reform ambition into lasting results.
For me, the Erasmus Mundus MAPP is not just an academic step but a way to connect research, practice, and institutional change, a foundation to become the kind of policy professional who understands both ideas and implementation.
During my undergraduate studies in Public Management and Policy, I became interested in why some development policies in Vietnam succeed while others stall despite similar goals and resources. Through my research on local implementation of national programs, I found that the difference often lies in governance capacity, how institutions coordinate, share information, and respond to feedback. This experience changed how I think about policy. I now see policymaking not only as design and decision, but as an ongoing process of learning and adjustment.
My research focused on the implementation gap between central policy objectives and local outcomes. Working with data from multiple provinces, I analyzed how institutional arrangements and administrative incentives affect program delivery. The findings showed that strong coordination mechanisms and local accountability were more decisive than funding levels or policy content. Presenting this research at university conferences helped me translate evidence into practical lessons for policy improvement. It also shaped my career goal: to work on governance reform and institutional strengthening in developing contexts.
The Governance and Development track of the Erasmus Mundus MAPP provides the analytical tools and comparative perspective I need to pursue this goal. I am particularly interested in Thinking about Governance and Institutions at ISS, which examines how formal and informal institutions influence policy outcomes, and Public Management and Delivery at York, which focuses on the challenges of translating policy into results. These courses align with my interest in understanding how institutional coordination and accountability mechanisms shape development performance.
The program's problem-situating approach is also appealing because it mirrors how I now approach policy issues: before discussing solutions, clarify how a problem has been defined and what assumptions underlie it. This perspective is essential in developing countries, where governance reforms are often imported without full understanding of local institutional realities. The track's focus on connecting theory with applied policy research fits the way I like to work, using data and field evidence to understand why policies succeed or fail.
The multi-campus structure of the Erasmus Mundus program also reflects the kind of governance I believe in: comparative, collaborative, and evidence-based. Learning in two academic environments and with peers from diverse policy systems will allow me to test ideas across contexts and bring lessons from Vietnam to global discussions on governance and development.
After completing the program, I plan to work as a policy analyst focusing on governance reform and institutional learning, first within an international organization such as UNDP or OECD, and later within Vietnam's public sector. My long-term goal is to help build more adaptive and accountable institutions capable of turning reform ambition into lasting results.
For me, the Erasmus Mundus MAPP is not just an academic step but a way to connect research, practice, and institutional change, a foundation to become the kind of policy professional who understands both ideas and implementation.
