International Institute of Rural Reconstruction

The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) works with the rural poor in developing countries to improve their lives by building on their unique assets and strengths. IIRR achieves this through field research, training, publications and field programs with communities and in partnership with other development organizations. Rural reconstruction is a development strategy first advanced by the mass education movement founded by Dr. Y.C. James Yen in China in 1923. The strategy is sustainable, integrated and people-centered.

As part of its aim to share its rural development experience and insights with development organizations and practitioners, IIRR offers short-term training courses covering a wide range of development themes (e.g., rural development management, community health and nutrition, watershed management, action research, and institutional capacity building) and include regional courses, customized courses, and organized study programs. More than 11,000 rural development practitioners from over 100 countries representing around 2,500 government and non-government organizations have attended IIRR’s training courses, workshops, seminars and conferences.