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How to build a data revolution

This year UNU-WIDER is launching several video series to highlight the wide span of policy-relevant work undertaken by the Institute and its worldwide network. Mini-documentaries and interviews with experts in key contexts, like South Africa and now Viet Nam, have shed light on how research can be used to inform policies that promote inclusive growth.

Our new video series, How to build a data revolution, takes a close look at how the Vietnam Access to Resources Household Survey (VARHS) is tracking households over time, providing deep insights into how they are coping as the country undergoes structural transformation.

In the first interview of the series, Dan Kim Son talks about how following the same people since 2006 has created an opportunity for researchers to see what development means in households across rural Viet Nam.

Data gathering is an essential part of the research process, particularly when it comes to panel data, which spans many years. In the second interview of the series, Nguyen Thi Lan Huong outlines key lessons learned from collecting VARHS data to inform policy-making.

In many contexts, policy-relevant research can only be carried out with the help of partners. Vu Xuan Nguyet Hong explains in the third interview of the series why collaboration has been so crucial for making impact. 

All of UNU-WIDER’s video series are housed on our YouTube channel, with most recent series featuring mini-documentaries on hot economic policy topics, including regional trade in southern Africa and the importance of firm-level data in South Africa.   

To learn more about How to build a data revolution, watch the whole series in English or Vietnamese on our YouTube channel and read about the ongoing project, Structural transformation and inclusive growth in Viet Nam, here.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Institute or the United Nations University, nor the programme/project donors.