KDI School is stepping up its efforts to become a leading project consulting agency for developing economies by promoting a number of knowledge-sharing projects.

A leading graduate school of public policy and management and affiliated with the economic think tank Korea Development Institute, school officials said that the knowledge-sharing projects aim to seek systemic solutions to tackle challenges faced by developing countries.

School officials said the projects are designed to analyze current development issues or problems of target countries, such as macro and micro economic performances, government reform efforts, and other economic development policies.

They said the projects are based on the extensive research and analysis the school has collected over the years. One of the major projects is designed to assist Algeria in economic and social development.  Vietnamese government officials participate in KDI School’s knowledge-sharing training project for developing countries at the school campus in Seoul.

From July 2006 to March 2007, the KDI School plans to conduct various consultation activities, such as policy practitioner workshops in Seoul, senior policy dialogues, and local dissemination workshops for opinion leaders and government officials. Based on the workshops, policy recommendations on current Algerian economic development issues will be submitted. At a conference on innovation policies and institutions for knowledge economies from November 29 to December 1, more than eighty participants from twelve different countries discussed challenges and opportunities for Asian economies during their transition periods to global knowledge economies. Also in November, forty-two government officials from Algeria attended a workshop to study the recent privatization drive of Korea in public utility policies.

In addition to the project for Algeria, the KDI School has launched a one-year Cambodia program, which began in July of this year. The project aims to address two important issues, fiscal resource mobilization,  with emphasis on government securities and regulation, and the supervision of the life insurance industry. Project consultants and officers for each project will attend a preliminary review workshop in Phnom Penh, scheduled in December of this year.

Following the two workshops and dialogue seminars in Seoul and Phnom Penh, the project consultants are planning to hold a public dissemination seminar in Phnom Penh next year.

The KDI School has offered several workshops to share the knowledge of Korea''s economic development tailored for the needs of Lao PDR. The workshops, conducted in close cooperation with the World Bank Institute and NOSPA, in charge of training government officials in Laos, were also designed to enhance the capability of NOSPA in promoting knowledge exchange. Of the major agendas discussed in the workshops last year, Lao officials and economic experts focused on Korea''s economic development, financial support strategy, human resources development, and foreign direct investment for national development.

By Jung Min Kim (2006 E-MBA)