Royal Thimphu College is a private college in Thimphu, Bhutan under the Royal University of Bhutan. It is Bhutan's first private college.The campus is located in an area of 25 acres of land in Ngabiphu, a rural area in Thimphu dzongkhag, located 7 km from the national capital city of Thimphu. The college has a number of linkages with institutions of higher education abroad..
Black Swan events are the events that are extremely unpredictable, sudden, and heavily impactful. Such events are sparse in history and are rarely thought over. Hence, they tend to lose their defense over anticipated risk. On the other hand, such events also highlight the inefficiency and anomaly in the structure and functioning of the market. This chapter aims to reveal the fallacies found in the country’s banking sector during the emergence of a Black Swan event and explores the role of mechanisms like social dividends in mitigating the social and economic impacts of such events. The analysis reveals how existing regulatory frameworks failed to account for nonlinear risks, while suggesting institutional reforms to enhance financial system resilience. For the purpose of this study, demonetization in India on November 8th, 2016, is taken as a Black Swan event. AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model is further applied to the stocks of the banking sector to check the speed of information adjustment in them (Prasanna & Menon, 2013). Results reveal severe disruptions, with all but two banks exhibiting abrupt return fluctuations. The study underscores the need for adaptive financial policies and preemptive safeguards to enhance systemic resilience against future shocks. Future research directions include developing early warning systems and stress-testing frameworks for Black Swan scenarios
Outdoor archery, especially in long-range disciplines such as Bhutanese archery, is influenced by environmental factors, including air density, which affects arrow trajectory through aerodynamic drag. Although the effects of air density on projectile motion have been studied in ballistics, they have not been empirically examined in archery. In this study, we conducted online surveys with Bhutanese players and developed iterative arrow-trajectory models for four equipment setups to investigate how diurnal changes in air density affect arrow range. To validate these models, we conducted an experiment using a shooting machine alongside real-time weather data to quantify how air-density variations affected arrow range at a 145 m Bhutanese archery field in Thimphu, Bhutan. Archers' subjective estimates of air-density effects on arrow range averaged 0.69 m, while the iterative models predicted range changes of 0.11-0.25 m for a 0.05 kg/m3 air-density shift across the examined equipment setups. The range change observed during the shooting-machine trial (0.19 m) closely matched the predicted range change from the corresponding equipment setup in the iterative model (0.17 m). Overall, the findings suggest that archers can enhance accuracy by adjusting their aim according to expected air-density fluctuations throughout the day, with temperature serving as a practical on-field proxy for air-density changes. The study offers a framework for integrating air-density effects into archery performance, reducing reliance on mid-play trial-and-error.
This concluding chapter synthesizes key findings from the edited volume Globalization, Social Dividend, and Sustainable Development Goals: Shaping a Fairer Future, offering critical insights into the complex interlinkages between globalization, social dividends, and the sustainable development goals Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Through a multidisciplinary lens, the preceding chapters provide a comprehensive examination of global economic integration, its socio-economic implications, and sustainable development outcomes. The volume explores theoretical and empirical dimensions, covering themes such as global value chains Global Value Chains (GVC), income inequality, decent work, gender disparities, financial inclusion, climate-induced migration, environmental justice, and corporate sustainability. The analyses emphasize how globalization shapes labor markets, financial systems, and ecological sustainability while presenting policy challenges and opportunities. Moreover, country-specific studies highlight the localized impact of globalization, such as the role of women-led self-help groups in India, entrepreneurial innovation in Bhutanese small- and medium-sized enterprises Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME), financial inclusion’s role in economic resilience, and the investment climate for circular bioeconomy in emerging economies. These case studies underscore the necessity of tailored policy approaches that align global economic trends with national development priorities. The chapter concludes by outlining crucial areas for future research, particularly the long-term consequences of accelerated globalization, intersectional approaches to vulnerability, and the potential of digital technologies to promote inclusive development. By integrating theoretical perspectives with empirical evidence and policy analysis, this volume stresses the importance of collaborative global efforts to achieve sustainable and equitable development.
Prior studies as well as media reports have identified bullying and discrimination amongst Bhutanese school and college students as a cause of concern, especially so for a nation with Gross National Happiness as its goal. Bullying and discrimination are associated with negative outcomes and can impact overall well-being. This quantitative study examined bullying and discrimination amongst college students (n = 16) in Bhutan through a self-administered online survey to a representative sample of 2043 (male = 40.8%; female = 55.8%). There was a non-significant decline from the 2016 survey in the reported prevalence of being bullied (from 45.2% to 35.5%), but a significant decline in the prevalence of bullying others (from 18% to about 10%) and discrimination experiences (from 51.3% to 45.8%). Being bullied was associated with psychological distress, suicidality, lower resilience, more frequent alcohol and other substance use, and, for some, bullying others. Findings from the study provide insights into practical and theoretical implications that can assist education stakeholders in designing appropriate measures in Bhutan and elsewhere.
Background: Mental health problems are a major public health challenge globally and in Bhutan. This narrative review synthesizes the available evidence on the prevalence and associated risk factors of depression, anxiety, and other behavioral health problems, including substance use, suicidal ideation, and problematic internet use among young people aged 10-24 years in Bhutan. Methods: The review draws on peer-reviewed studies, national, and WHO reports to provide an overview of prevalence and associated risk factors. Relevant articles were identified through a targeted search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Science Direct. Results: This review reveals a substantial burden of mental and behavioral health problems among young people in Bhutan. Key associated factors include academic stress, family dynamics, socio-economic transition, and increasing digitalization. Conclusion: This review study underscores the need for culturally appropriate evidence-based interventions to support the mental health and well-being of Bhutanese young people.
