Committed to its goal of producing exceptional top-notch leaders in the Korean public sector, the KDI School, through its Center for Executive Education (CEE), offers its Global Leader Program (GLP), which is specifically designed to benefit employees and officials from Korean public enterprises and organizations. The GLP is a one-year non-degree course offered to Korean employees. Its main objective is to teach and expose Korean employees to strategies and case studies on international business development. Through its management classes, the GLP also provides advanced management strategies and information on new trends in the field that are relevant in enhancing the management competencies of employees of public enterprises and financial institutions. More than being an academic program, as explained by Mr. Byung- Kwon Lee, Executive Program Coordinator of the CEE, the GLP is the KDI School’s instrument to assist various public corporations that are struggling to achieve international business development Since the GLP started in 2004, the KDI School had already given recognition to 150 students who have completed the program. This year the program started during the preliminary session in January with 46 students coming from different Korean public enterprises and organizations. 2009 GLP students are composed of nine employees from the Korea Gas Corporation, eight employees from the Korea Land Corporation, seven employees from the Korea Express Way Corporation, six employees from the Institute for National Security Strategy, four employees from the Korea National Housing Corporation, two employees for each agency of Korea District Heating Corporation, Korea Rail Network Authority, Korea Securities Depository, Korea Water Resources Corporation, and Korea Western Power Corporation, and one employee for each agency of Korea East- West Power and Samsung Life Insurance. An integral part of the program is its study abroad provision. After completing their classes on diverse fields of business administration and international business development during the spring and summer semesters at the KDI School, GLP students are given the opportunity to study at the University of California in San Diego during the fall semester. By having to study abroad, students can further expand their international knowledge and experience in their own fields and those of international management, international relations and comparative public policy. Moreover, the study abroad provision serves as an extension of the KDI School’s English learning environment. At the KDI School, all courses under the GLP are offered using English as the primary medium of instruction.

Through the GLP, the KDI School is, and will continue to, provide excellent leadership training and outstanding global education to the future leaders of Korea. For more details about the GLP, please contact Mr. Byung-Kwon Lee, Executive Program Coordinator of the Center for Executive Education at the KDI School, at bklee@kdi school, ac.kr.

By Wendy N. MONTEALTO (MPP 2009, Philippines)