Last February, the KDI School welcomed Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) participants from 26 different countries to its Master of Public Policy program (MPP). Every year, the KOICA sends scholars to the KDI School as part of the Korean government grant aid and technical cooperation program. This year, the KOICA participants are composed of one participant for each country of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe; two representatives for each country of Algeria, Cambodia, Egypt, Ghana and Mongolia; and three students from Indonesia.

In partnership with the [KDI School, KOICA awards scholarships to deserving candidates from developing countries as part of its goal to help them build the national capacity necessary to achieve sustainable development. The main objective of this program is to provide world-class education to future leaders from the public and private sectors by sharing Korea’s own development experience. Aside from having the opportunity to obtain knowledge and training in the diverse fields of transition and development studies, trade and industrial policy, public finance and local administration, human resource and social policy, international relations and political economy, and real estate and public policy, KOICA scholars also have the chance to visit Korea''s leading industrial companies such as LG Electronics, Hyundai Motors, and Hyundai Heavy Industries, and participate in field trips and cultural excursions to Korea’s major national sites including the infamous Demilitarized Zone and the Korea Folk Village.

The day after their arrival in Seoul on February 19, the KOICA scholars received an orientation from the KOICA staff at the International Cooperation Training Center (ICTC). As part of the orientation, they also had special lectures about Korea: its history, culture and society.

The following day, at KDI School, the KOICA students were assigned to their respective rooms at Hye-jung Dormitory, where they will be staying until January 2010. During the KDI School Orientation, they were warmly welcomed by the KDI School’s Dean Hahm Sang-Moon himself, and introduced to the program by MPP Chair Hun Joo Park. KOICA scholars were also asked to choose their own representative, and they elected Mohamed Tolba from Egypt to assume the position.

KOICA students also received a special treat from their host agency on the following day. They toured around three of Seoul’s major tourist spots such as the N. Seoul Tower, Namdaemun Market, and Coex Aquarium. To complete their day, they were made witness to one of the top ten most famous tourist attractions in Seoul, NANTA. It is a Korean non-verbal performance which integrates Korean traditional rhythms with comedy and drama as its main highlight.

Upon completion of the program, KOICA students are expected to apply everything they have learned at the KDI School and take part in establishing development strategies for their home countries.

By Wendy N. MONTEALTO (MPP 2009, Philippines)