Who we are

ABOUT US

Founded in 2017 to improve access to higher education for young people in Chin State TheHILLS Myanmar (THM) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing high-quality research, advocacy, and access to education in Chin State and its surrounding areas, including Sagaing Region and the Eastern Himalayan borderlands. TheHILLS, initially registered in Myanmar, is now established as a non-profit association in Italy.

Its flagship initiative, the Chin State Academic Research Network (CSARN), is an interdisciplinary platform that supports and connects researchers engaged in work related to the region, and promotes the exchange of high-quality, context-relevant knowledge.

THM works across the education continuum, from supporting access to primary and secondary education to strengthening higher education, research, and academic capacity. Its activities include scholarships, fellowships, training, and mentorship programmes, as well as conferences and other opportunities for knowledge sharing and collaboration.

The organisation is recognised for its core expertise in strategic analysis, contextual research, and policy insight, and is regularly engaged by development partners seeking informed, field-grounded perspectives. It contributes to high-level thinking through thematic studies, policy briefs, and continuous analysis, with particular strengths in gender-sensitive approaches and the application of Do No Harm principles in programme design and implementation.

OBJECTIVES

• Support continued access to education for children and young people in Chin State through community-based approaches and locally-developed resources.

• Expand access to higher education and international academic opportunities for students and scholars from Chin State, with a focus on inclusion and sustained engagement.

• Build and sustain a community of researchers, educators, and practitioners engaged in rigorous, evidence-based work on Chin State and its borderlands.

• Promote gender equality through mentorship, training, and inclusive academic and research pathways.

• Produce high-quality, context-driven research and policy advice that strengthens understanding of Chin State and informs responsible engagement by scholars, practitioners, and organisations.

• Advance decolonial approaches to Myanmar and South East Asian studies by supporting knowledge production rooted in local, indigenous, and cross-border perspectives, including work spanning Chin State, Sagaing Region, and the Eastern Himalayan borderlands.