The National Institute for International Education (Director Kim Young-gon), the Korea Government Scholarship Alumni Association (President Woo Geon-jo, Professor at Korea University), and the Korean Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) Alumni Association (President Zahid Hussain, Broadcaster) jointly held a meeting event for newly selected government scholarship students on August 5, 2022, at 2 p.m. at the National Institute for International Education in Bundang-gu, Seongnam City.
The "Government Scholarship Alumni Meeting" event is a bilateral cooperative project annually hosted by the Ministry of Education’s National Institute for International Education, which operates the government scholarship system, and the Korea Government Scholarship Alumni Association, a group of beneficiaries of the government scholarship system, to promote the development of South Korea’s government scholarship program that began in 1977.
The government scholarship system selects students to nurture talent in strategic national development fields by dispatching them abroad to study advanced academic disciplines.
The annual alumni meeting event functions to form a network between newly selected students and senior government scholarship students by establishing mentor-mentee relationships, offering advice and encouragement for a successful study abroad experience. Due to COVID-19, the event was held online in 2020 and 2021 but returned to an in-person format this year after three years.
Notably, this year’s alumni meeting included not only Korean government scholarship alumni who were dispatched abroad but also beneficiaries of another South Korean government scholarship program, the Government-Initiated Foreign Scholarship program, whose alumni association (GKS Alumni Association) formed domestically. They participated together, providing a realistic opportunity for advice and discussion on challenges and opportunities experienced as international students, as well as similarities and differences between Korean and foreign cultures, transcending nationality.
The event was divided into three parts: Part 1 included awarding certificates to the 2022 (46th cohort) newly selected scholarship students and administrative guidance from the institute regarding departure and the start of study abroad life; Part 2 was a talk concert where new and senior scholarship students freely discussed all aspects of studying abroad; Part 3 consisted of small group sessions organized by academic major for in-depth Q&A.
Kim Young-gon, Director of the National Institute for International Education, stated, “Newly selected government scholarship students often have many expectations and concerns before studying abroad, but the seniors listen to their difficulties and serve as a strong support, greatly aiding the success of the new students’ study abroad experience.” He added, “Especially at this event, not only Korean students but also foreign students invited by the Korean government, who studied in Korea and are now experts in their home countries, provided significant help to the new students.”
Woo Geon-jo, President of the Korea Government Scholarship Alumni Association, explained, “As the representative alumni organization, the Korea Government Scholarship Alumni Association is a cooperative partner with the National Institute for International Education for the development of the government scholarship system.” He expressed the intention, “We will continue to expand projects that the National Institute for International Education, the Korea Government Scholarship Alumni Association, and the GKS Alumni Association can jointly undertake as a tri-arm to further develop the government scholarship system.”
Zahid Hussain, President of the GKS Alumni Association, said, “There are about 500 alumni who studied in Korea with the support of the Korean government and are now active domestically.” He expressed his aspiration, “Through the MOU signed with the Korea Government Scholarship Alumni Association this time, the GKS Alumni Association will cooperate to contribute to the happy settlement of foreign students and multicultural families active in various fields in Korea in line with the global era, ultimately leading to the development of Korean society.”
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