Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies

Happy 117th National Day! On this historic day, we pay homage to our first Druk Gyalpo, His Majesty Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck, for his enduring legacy, which greatly shaped Bhutan’s destiny. As we reflect on the visionary leadership of our successive great monarchs, we are constantly reminded of our unique strengths and unprecedented blessings as Bhutanese, which bind us in unity and peace as ‘one nation, one people.’ Today, as we mark our 117th National Day, may the profound words of His Majesty The King continue to resonate across generations: 'We need intergenerational transfer and compounding progress—building on the achievements of the past so that each decade, each generation, and each century sees greater prosperity and happiness for Bhutan’. Pelden Drukpa Gyalo!

RIGSS PODCAST | Hopes and Challenges of an Entrepreneur with Tashi Wangdi. As Bhutan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem gradually evolves, it is widely acknowledged, including by the government, that significant efforts are still needed to uplift the private sector to become a dynamic driver of the Bhutanese economy. In the 13th FYP, the government aims to achieve its vision of becoming a high-income country by enhancing productivity and diversifying products and markets for sustainable economic growth. One strategy outlined in the document to achieve this vision is facilitating private sector development and participation to foster a robust entrepreneurial culture and ecosystem. In this episode, we are joined by Mr Tashi Wangdi, founder of Impact Hub Thimphu, an incubation centre that supports entrepreneurs by providing coworking spaces, coaching, mentorship, and hosting impactful community events. We will explore his entrepreneurial journey and the realities of founding and running a business in Bhutan. We hope this conversation with Tashi, who exemplifies thinking big, starting small and continuing to persevere despite the odds, will inspire young entrepreneurs to pursue meaningful ventures and stay resilient and purpose-driven to turn their visions into impactful realities. https://lnkd.in/daFDNHvK

The Friday Forum last night with H.E. Shivshankar Menon on "SINO-INDIAN RELATIONS: FUNDAMENTALS, DYNAMICS AND TRAJECTORIES” provided us with an opportunity to understand the historical context, evolving dynamics complicated by international developments and the complexity of contemporary relations. It widened our perspectives on how the bilateral relations between our two neighbours have added dimensions of multilateral characteristics which are largely denominated by strategic considerations. The fundamentals of geography, history, nationalism, domestic politics and aspiration for greater role in regional and international affairs continue to see China and India engage at different levels. They play out in the forms of tension and conflict along the Himalayan borders, strategic rivalry in maritime space of the Indo-Pacific, deepening of ties in the economy, and also by way of forging common stands on issues of common interests in the global arena. The dynamics of their relations and future developments have important consequences for Bhutan. We would like to thank His Excellency Shivshankar Menon for his insightful remarks and for highlighting how important it is for us to read, analyse and assess the implications of developments between our two giant neighbours. At the same time, we would also like to thank Dasho Dr Sonam Kinga for his excellent moderation and all the audience members for your presence last night.

The Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies (RIGSS) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand signed an MoU today. The MoU seeks to promote collaboration and partnership between the two institutes in the areas of executive education and international training programmes, joint research and innovation initiatives, conferences and seminars, youth leadership development, and exchange programmes for leaders and future leaders from both the countries and beyond. The MoU was signed by the President of AIT, Professor Pai-Chi Li and the Director of RIGSS, Zimpon Wom Chewang Rinzin at AIT today.

A week-long leadership course for the inaugural batch of business leaders from the private sector commenced last night with an orientation session and welcome dinner. The customised programme aims to develop key leadership competencies and mindset, develop skills to promote strong team and organisational culture and foster common ethos and understanding of the vision of a developed Bhutan. The course began today with a session on “Understanding Leadership”, and the participants were encouraged to reflect and share their personal views on leadership, delving into the qualities, behaviours, and values they believe define a good leader. This helped set the stage for a meaningful and diverse exchange of perspectives on what leadership entails and the importance of leadership of the self. Other sessions include organisational culture, cultivating mindfulness and emotional intelligence for effective leadership, effective communication skills, dynamics of a cross-border economy, professional management of companies, effective negotiation skills, and a fireside chat on private sector development with the Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE). Twenty-three business leaders including CEOs, MDs, GMs and business facilitators are participating in the training.

The six-day Leadership Development Programme for Bhutan National Bank (BNB) concluded this evening. The customised course included modules on leadership, professionalism, organisational culture, communication, conflict management and handling difficult conversations. The programme was curated to equip participants with important leadership skills and professional competencies to drive organisational change and success. A total of 20 chiefs, corporate executives, and senior managers from BNB attended the programme. The programme emphasises the bank’s commitment and effort to investing in leadership development and ensuring a culture of continuous growth and learning spirit amongst its employees.

A panel discussion on "Bridging Happiness and Prosperity: Experiences and Insights from Sweden."

On this extraordinarily special day, we join the nation in offering our sincere prayers and gratitude to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo – a visionary monarch whose leadership, foresight, and deep love for his people have brought the nation on the path of peace, prosperity, and happiness. We are indeed truly grateful for His Majesty’s exemplary and enduring legacy of courage and selfless service to the nation and its people. Long Live Our Beloved Druk Gyalpo!

A week-long leadership course began today for the second batch of senior managers of Bhutan National Bank Ltd (BNBL). The customised programme aims to enhance key leadership competencies for effective personal and organisational development, build camaraderie and social capital among the participants, and foster common ethos and culture to advance the bank’s vision in view of the larger national transformation. The course includes sessions on leadership, coaching skills, organisational culture workshop, effective communication, managing conflicts and difficult conversations, professionalism, mindset and customer service, among other learning activities. Twenty corporate and branch managers and the bank's division in-charges are taking part in the leadership training.

Please follow the link below to watch the full video on "How Can Bhutan Become an Innovation Leader?" This is one of the most insightful RIGSS Dialogues, a must-listen indeed - Saul Singer in conversation with Dr. Tshering Cigay Dorji. There are many lessons from Israel on nationhood, happiness, service, innovation, entrepreneurship, and more.