It is not for granted for cooperation programs to exist permanently. As many other schemes, they emerge with enthusiasm and may disappear any time for any reason.

Fortunately, there are no scale downs in KOICA programs. Since its foundation in 1991, the Agency has registered commendable success in its various programs. Technical cooperation, one of KOICA’s main streams of assistance has also shown a steady, if not, dramatic growth both in the number of scholarships that it grants and diversity of destination.

The KDI School of Public Policy and Management has joint program with KOICA. Owing to this arrangement, the School began to enroll KOICA scholarship recipients since 1999. Starting with only five students in 1999, currently it hosts 30 students. More interestingly, the growth is not limited to figures only. One can safely say that KOICA scholarship has expanded its magnitude, and almost all regions of the world are represented here, contributing to the School’s multicultural environment. 

Generally, cooperation programs start at regional level and expand to places far away from their origin. KOICA scholarship’s experience is not different from this. Considering Korea’s recent membership of OECD as a donor nation and a built tradition of looking to the West for study, how international students come to know about KOICA scholarship is worth knowing and it is one of the most frequently asked questions in KDI School when new students introduce each other.

In an attempt to get insight how familiar KOICA scholarship is globally, the Globe has talked to few 2013 recipients of KOICA scholarship. Lydia Kiwumulo’s (from Uganda) conclusive response represents the group; “Korea is no longer a distant land unknown to Africans. Vying to go to Europe and the United States for study is a dying sentiment.”

Lydia’s statement indicates, though implicitly, that KOICA no more relies on promoting the scholarship it grants as many potential candidates have already know about the program.

When it comes to POSCO scholarship, unlike KOICA it is an Asia and Africa-fellowship entirely focused in enhancing the capacity of Asian and African public officials. However, their targeting of public officials and strong belief on institutions as engine of growth and development makes KOICA and POSCO scholarships similar. This year KDI Schools has received three POSCO fellowship recipients from Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Vietnam. 

By Kalekristos Zerisenay (2012 MDP, Eritrea)