The KOICA-MDI Scholarship program was launched as part of the Korea International Cooperation Agency’s (KOICA) development aid project in collaboration with the Korea Development Institute (KDI) to establish a national development think-tank in Myanmar.  Following the 2012 summit between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Myanmar Development Institute (MDI) was officially established in 2015 based on Myanmar’s Presidential notification No. 127/2015 (Nov. 2015).  The project is composed of four aspects: constructing MDI’s offices and buildings, conducting capacity-building joint development researches, running scholarship programs, and providing short-term training courses for Myanmarese policy makers. 

The MDI, being the first of its kind in Myanmar, is expected to carry out important policy-oriented and evidence-based researches in support of the country’s planning and implementing of socio-economic development and reforms. Main research areas include: (1) macroeconomics management and financial policy; (2) investment, industry and trade policies; (3) land, regional development and environment; (4) social development including education, labor, health, social welfare issues; and (5) government and public sector reform. In addition to the research institute, the MDI project also plans to establish a MDI-affiliate school, similar to KDI School. Currently, MDI’s building is under construction in Naypyidaw, capital of Myanmar, and its temporary office located at the government building is now serving to implement the mission and coordinate relevant tasks.   

In order to prepare future researchers for MDI, a scholarship was created, namely, the KOICA-MDI Scholarship at KDI School of Public Policy and Management. Once the Myanmarese students are selected, they will receive full scholarships including monthly stipends, round-trip airfares, and tuition. The scholarship requires students to complete their Master’s degree including a thesis within 16 months, and to work at MDI for at least two years upon graduation. The scholarship is designed to train future researchers for MDI and to help share Korea’s knowledge and experience of economic and social development with Myanmar’s future researchers and policymakers.

Last fall, the first batch of twelve Myanmarese students joined KDI School under the scholarship program. Over the past two semesters, the students have participated in a variety of school programs, events and activities, training themselves to become professional researchers and policy advisors. In coming August, another twelve Myanmarese students will arrive at KDI School’s Sejong campus to start their Master’s program. This time, the School will also recruit a few Myanmarese Ph.D. students to help them acquire the capacity to conduct more advanced academic research.

Aung Phyo Kyaw, one of the KOICA-MDI Scholarship recipients, reflects that the scholarship helped him obtain academic and practical research and analytic tools. He considers that the faculty members as well as social and academic environment at KDI School make it one of the world’s best. With valuable experience and fruitful outcomes at KDI School, he wants to apply Korea’s model of human capital development in the local context of Myanmar when he returns home.

Dr. Sang-Woo Nam, former Dean of KDI School and project manager of the KOICA-MDI project, believes that the MDI will have a significant contribution to Myanmar’s future socio-economic development, just as KDI has done to Korea in the past.  He also hopes that MDI and the Myanmarese government together bring strengthened stability and sustainable development in Myanmar’s society.

By Kilton Portugal (2015 MDP, Mozambique)