KDI School of Public Policy and Management and the World Bank’s Development Impact Evaluation Group (DECDG) jointly hosted the 7th Development Impact Conference on September 10–11, 2026, at the Nine Tree Premier ROKAUS Hotel Seoul Yongsan.

Held annually since 2020, the conference brings together researchers, policymakers, and development practitioners to exchange research and practical insights on impact evaluation and evidence-based development policy. Alternating between Seoul and Washington, D.C., the conference covers a wide range of development issues, including agriculture, climate, education, health, governance, labor, finance, and gender.

Professor David Sungho Park, one of the key organizers of the conference at KDI School, reflected on the development of the event in an interview with KDI School News Center:

“The conference started in Korea in 2020, and this year marks its seventh edition. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference has continued and has now become a stable platform for discussions on impact evaluation.”

Professor Park also emphasized the importance of the partnership between KDI School and the World Bank in developing the conference. By bringing together researchers and practitioners from different countries, the conference has created opportunities for international exchange and opened the door to new academic and professional connections. In this sense, the conference serves as an important milestone for building and expanding partnerships beyond the event itself.

Gabriela Herrera Lengua (center), an MPP 2026 student from Peru

Gabriela Herrera Lengua (MDP 2026, Peru) described the atmosphere of the conference as “very engaging and professional.” Among the research presented, she was particularly impressed by “Not Faster, but Better: Generative AI and Teacher Skill in Peru,” presented by Carolina Lopez, an Economist at the World Bank. As someone from Peru, she found it especially meaningful to see academic research addressing a practical issue in her own country.

Thi Thuy An Vo (right), an MDP 2026 student from Vietnam

The conference offered KDI School students a valuable  opportunity not only to listen to researchers but also to see how concepts and methods learned in the classroom are applied in development research. 

Thi Thuy An Vo (MDP 2026, Vietnam)shared how the conference helped her connect what she had learned in class with research:

“I see the conference as a chance to not only hear new things but also review the knowledge that I learned from the courses at KDI School. For example, when I heard Professor Jinseong Park present his research, ‘In and Out: How Do Food Delivery Riders Work,’ using the shift-share instrumental variable (SSIV), I had a chance to review this method, which I learned from a paper in the Applied Microeconometrics course last semester, as well as see how SSIV can be applied in a different context.”

Beyond the classroom, Vo also appreciated the opportunity to see her professors from a different perspective—not only as instructors in the classroom, but as researchers presenting their work and engaging with feedback from colleagues and the audience.

For KDI School students, the 7th Development Impact Conference was a reminder that learning does not end in the classroom. Beyond the theories and methods discussed in class, the conference offered a chance to see how those ideas come together in research, discussion, and the broader field of development.