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| Chun Hong-tack, dean of the Korea Development Institute (KDI) School of Public Policy and Management, laughs during an interview with The Korea Times. / Courtesy of KDI School |
Foreign students from developing world can take public policy courses
By Lee Hyo-sik
SEJONG — The Korea Development Institute (KDI) School of Public Policy and Management has found a new home in a rapidly developing administrative town, marking a new era after spending 18 years in northern Seoul.
Some had cautioned that the state-funded higher educational institution might be unable to attract enough students or might lose many faculty members and staff when it moved to Sejong Metropolitan Autonomous City. But such concerns turned out to be unfounded, according to Chun Hong-tack, who became the school's new dean on Jan. 2.
"We had no problem attracting students for the 2015 semester, which will start on Feb. 23 at our Sejong campus," Chun said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. "Despite the school's relocation to Sejong, we attracted 30 percent more applicants for this year's programs than the previous year. This shows that our reputation in the academic world has remained strong."
The KDI School, established in 1998, offers three master's programs ― Master of Public Policy, Master of Development Policy and Master of Public Management ― and a Ph.D. program in public policy. All lectures are offered in English.
Korean students can take a global master's program in which they complete the first year at the KDI School and the second year at a partner institution of their choice abroad.
Currently, over 330 students are enrolled in the KDI School programs. Of the 330, 180 are non-Koreans from 70 foreign countries in Asia, Africa and South America, most of whom are public-sector employees. The school has 75 faculty members and 92 administrative staff.
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| The main building of the KDI School of Public Policy and Management in Sejong |
The school will continue to offer some lectures at its Seoul campus for students who began their study in 2014 or earlier. Those who will start their programs this year will attend classes at its new Sejong campus.
"Our students have nothing to worry about studying here because the Sejong campus offers everything they need," the dean said. "All full-time students will be provided with dormitory rooms and 24-hour access to a library, a computer lab and other state-of-the-art academic facilities. Our non-academic facilities such as the soccer stadium and the gymnasium will enrich their school life. The learning environment here has improved significantly, compared to our previous Seoul campus."
Chun added that the school also plans to offer a means of transportation for those seeking to travel to Seoul and other areas, as well as a wide range of recreational programs for foreign students in particular.
"Many international students want to visit Seoul and other popular destinations on weekends or during a break. To help them experience Korea's culture and tradition, we will provide all the support they need," he said. "The KDI School will continue to make efforts to improve educational and residential environments for students. If we succeed in making them happy, more will come to learn at our Sejong campus."
Chun said he will help the school attract as many students as possible from among civil servants at the nearby Sejong Government Complex, and employees at various public companies in South Chungcheong Province.
"Many government workers want to get higher education in public policy and related-fields. To accommodate their diverse needs, we will open a weekend-only course and other flexible learning programs," the dean said.
Attracting talented faculty and staff members
Securing talented faculty and administrative staff members is also a key to providing an excellent educational environment, according to Chun, who said he will also prioritize improving the workplace environment at the school.
"Some expressed concerns that many professors and staff members would quit before the school moves to Sejong, but that did not happen," he said. "Even though some faculty members left the school ahead of the school's relocation, a massive brain drain did not materialize. I will do everything to help our employees settle down in Sejong."
About 70 percent of KDI school employees still commute to and from Seoul, indicating that what they need most is a convenient and affordable means of transportation. It takes about two hours to drive from Seoul to Sejong.
As such, the school decided to run buses between Seoul and Sejong in cooperation with other research centers nearby, as well as a shuttle service to and from the Osong KTX train station.
"It won't be easy to commute from Seoul to Sejong. But we will try to accommodate all their needs and help them adjust to the new environment," the dean said. "The remaining 30 percent who have settled down here also face a host of inconveniences. But things will continue to improve."
Chun said he will make every effort to secure larger budgets to better help employees with the significant costs of relocating to Sejong. "What they get is not enough. I will do everything to expand the employee welfare program."
Expanding international exchanges
Chun cited boosting cooperation with its partner schools abroad as another priority. "It was easier for the school to interact with sister schools overseas when it was in Seoul. So, we need to double our efforts to maintain or even expand our overseas network."
The KDI School wants to establish student exchange programs with more universities in Europe, he said, adding that it will serve as a bridge between schools in the developing and developed worlds.
"We have signed exchange programs primarily with schools in North America and Asia. We would like to expand our network to Europe, Chun said. "We will seek not only to share our knowhow in public policy and management with developing countries, but also to play a role in bridging the gap between developed and developing countries."
The dean then said the school will boost cooperation with its parent organization, the KDI, in research and education.
The KDI's main mission is to conduct economic research and produce reports for the government and private businesses, while that of the KDI School is to provide postgraduate education.
"I think the two institutions must cooperate more closely to create synergy. For instance, KDI researchers could come to the school and take up a teaching position," Chun said.
