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By Our Reporter

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in collaboration with the KOICA Alumni Association of Nepal (KAAN), organized a Departure Orientation Program for the 2025 Part II (January Intake) group of Master’s and Doctoral Scholarship Awardees. The program was held on January 29 at the KOICA Nepal Office.

The orientation program was organized to encourage meaningful experience sharing while equipping the awardees with essential information about their academic programs, host universities in Korea, Korean life and culture, departure procedures, and other practical aspects of studying abroad. The session was further enriched by remarks from Choong Hee Choi, Deputy Country Director of the KOICA Nepal Office, who warmly congratulated the scholarship awardees and shared valuable insights to help them prepare for their academic journey and life in Korea.

To date, a total of 175 government officials have successfully completed their Master’s degree programs through KOICA’s Scholarship Program. These scholars have been widely recognized for their outstanding academic performance during their studies in Korea. In the current academic year, eight government officials have been awarded KOICA scholarships for the August and January intakes. Among them, two scholars have been selected for Ph.D. programs in e-Government and Public Management, while the remaining six will pursue Master’s degrees in various disciplines.

In addition to long-term academic programs, KOICA is also implementing several short-term country specific programs. In 2025, a total of 75 government officials from various ministries and departments—including the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology; Ministry of Health and Population; Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development; and Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation participated in capacity-building program. These programs focused on strengthening health emergency coordination and operational systems, enhancing e-learning skills of TVET instructors, improving post-harvest management of fruits and vegetables, and developing impact-based early flood warning systems in Nepal. All initiatives were formally requested by the Government of Nepal and implemented with KOICA’s technical support.

Since 1995, KOICA has been implementing the Capacity Improvement and Advancement for Tomorrow (CIAT) program as a core component of its development cooperation efforts. The CIAT program focuses on human resource development through short-term training courses and long-term Master’s and Doctoral degree scholarship programs for government officials. It aims to enhance institutional capacity by sharing Korea’s development experience, expertise, and technology to support sustainable development in partner countries.