The K-Developedia Team, in partnership with other think tanks and research institutes starting across Asia, is planning to launch the Development Knowledge Open Access (DKOA) website.

DKOA is an open access repository which allows participating institutions to upload development content from their respective countries. This also serves as a collaborative platform which would allow government agencies, development organizations, and research institutions to share their development experience, as well as build upon future projects together.

“DKOA will contribute to advancing socioeconomic growth around Asia and the world by helping policymakers and researchers make informed decisions,” said Dr. Hye-kyung Chung, head of the K-Developedia Team at KDI School.

Earlier this year, graduate students from Bangladesh, India, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam became the first-ever batch of “DKOANs” who served as liaison between the K-Developedia Team and their respective countries. They also helped collate development-related contents which are included in the newly-launched website.

With the help of the DKOAN student supporters, the team successfully established links with the Philippine Institute for Development Studies and the Economic Research Institute for Industry and Trade.

Partner institutions not only have an opportunity to share their contents to a wider audience through the free use of the digital repository, but also get to participate in training workshops on a regular basis.

Following the launch of the program, the work shall now focus on expanding the content of the website and ensuring a wide reach of audiences across the region.

With the help of the partner institutions, DKOA is expected to improve approaches to marketing and monitoring and evaluation, as well as think of creative means to sustain the project in the long-term.

By Ranel Ram Cheng, MPP 2016, Philippines