scholarship

Master of Public Policy (MPP) Year 2009/2010

Sponsored byThe Colombo Plan Secretariat&

The KDI School of Pubic Policy and Management

Seoul, Korea



BACKGROUND



Colombo Plan



The Colombo Plan for Cooperation Economic and Social Development in Asia and Pacific is a unique inter-governmental organization providing development assistance under the "Planning for Prosperity" motto and the concept of self-help and mutual help where member countries provide assistance to one another in socio-economic development.



The Colombo Plan was conceived at the Commonwealth Conference on Foreign Affairs held in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in January 1950 and was established on 1 July 1951 as a cooperative venture for economic and social advancement of the people of South and Southeast Asia. It has grown from the founding group of seven Commonwealth nations - Australia, Britain, Canada, Ceylon, India, New Zealand and Pakistan, to 25, including non-Commonwealth and countries belonging to the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Current Colombo Plan member countries are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United States of America and Vietnam.



In December 1977 the Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic Development in South and Southeast Asia was changed to The Colombo Plan for Co-operative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific, to reflect the expanded geographical composition of its enhanced membership and the scope of its activities. The primary focus of all Colombo Plan activities is human resources development in the Asia-Pacific region.



Over the years, the programme content of the Colombo Plan has been adjusted to respond to the needs of member countries in a fast changing economic environment. In the early years, the training programmes were more of a long-term nature whilst the current programmes are established to provide advance skills and experience sharing, aimed at arriving at the best practices in different fields of economic and social activities for effective policy making and governance.



Funding



A significant characteristics of the Colombo Plan is that the administrative costs of the Council and the Secretariat are borne equally by all member countries and all member countries have an equal status in Colombo Plan's functions and activities. However, programme activities are funded by voluntary contributions by member countries as development partners. In addition, non-member countries, other international and regional organizations and other donor agencies are also sourced for funding.



Current Programmes



In 1955, Colombo Plan revitalized its programmes to emphasize on short-term training courses in priority areas and promoting South-South cooperation. The current programmes of the Colombo Pan are in the areas of Public Administration and environment including post-graduate long-term scholarships. Privates Sector Development and Drug Demand Prevention in member countries. In this regard, Colombo Plan has established three programmes for capacity building, namely, Drug Advisory Programme, Programme for Public Administration & Environment and Programme for Private Sector Development.



Programme for Public Administration & Environment (PPA & Env.)



The main objective of the Programme for Public Administration is to develop human capital in the public sector of the developing member countries (DMCs) through provision of training programmes in prioritized areas such as poverty reduction, leadership development, economic management, strategic management, food security and environmental issues.



The PPA has established good partnerships with centres of excellence in the member countries as well as with inter-governmental organizations to deliver training programmes in critical issues of development to middle and senior level public officials from DMCs, many of whom hold key positions in their respective countries.



Programme for Private Sector Development (PPSD)



The Programme for Private Sector Development (PPSD) established in 1995, provides short-term training programmes and workshops for the development of the private sector. The focus of PPSD is on capacity building of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which in many economies drive economic growth and create employment opportunities for a large segment of the labour force. The Programme's scope covers technology transfer, SME development, business management and sharing of best practices, World Trade Organization, productivity and trade issues and industrialization policy. PPSD also plays an important role in promoting a business friendly environment through building up of capacity of those relevant government officers who are responsible to put in place supporting institutions, laws and policies as well as regulations which affect the private sector.



To obtain the best outcomes for these programmes, PPSD collaborates with member governments and their centres of excellence to implement the programmes. Out current partner agencies are Korea International Copperation Agency (KOICA), Malaysia Productivity Centre (MPC), CMC Ltd under the Indian Millennium Fund, Asia Productivity Organization (APO) and Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP). Since inception in 1995, Korea has been contributing to the PPSD programmes.



Long-term Scholarship Programme (LTSP)



The Long-term Scholarship Programme (LTSP) was a hallmark of the Colombo Plan during its early years until 1989. Due to the needs of member countries, it was offered again in 2005 to provide opportunities for suitable candidates from member countries to be provided with opportunities to pursue Master Degree in prestigious universities in Korea, Malaysia and Thailand in a wide variety of subjects. In 2008, Singapore joined the other three countries to offer two (2) postgraduate scholarships at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technology University (NTU) or the Singapore Management University (SMU) in a wide variety of fields, except medicine and dentistry.



Drug Advisory Programme (DAP)



The Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme, established in 1973 was the first Asia-Pacific regional programme to address the drug problem. From its inception, DAP has been contributing to the development of human resources in member countries by enhancing the capabilities of officials in government and non-governmental organizations involved in drug demand and supply reduction.



Responding to the changing needs of member countries, which are facing multifaceted problems due to illicit drug production, trafficking and abuse, the DAP has embarked on several innovative strategies including faith-based approach to drug demand reduction, establishment of outreach and drop in centres and introduction of life skills to youths. DAP also mobilizes community in its drug demand reduction activities, as well as provide advisory services and capacity building to member countries. In front-line countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan, four (4) outreach and drop in centres were established in 2005 which continue to be supported by CPDAP. In the special programme for Afghanistan, five (5) treatment centres and transit shelter for women were set up in June 2007. DAP is operating the only Treatment Centre for women in Kabul, Afghanistan.



KDI SCHOOL



The KDI School of Public Policy and Management was established in 1997 with the support of the Korea Development Instititue (KDI), which is Korea's leading economic think-tank since 1971. The School aims to be a world-class institution by offering innovative educational programmes for future international leaders of government and business organizations and equip them with the latest knowledge to meet the challenges of a globalized world.



The KDI School offers in-depth academic programmes that focus on real-world management and public policy issues and are taught by experienced faculty comprising experts and professionals in their own fields. The curriculum is both innovative and comprehensive; it was designed specifically with the needs of midlevel professionals from the public and private sectors. Classes use various modern technologies to maximize efficiency and learning effectiveness.



The Colombo Plan began collaboration with The KDI School of Pubic Policy and Management in 2006. It symbolizes a significant milestone in Republic of Korea's role in Colombo Plan. This Long Term Scholarship (LTSP) represents ROK's first assistance programme for post graduate scholars of the Colombo Plan in the field of public policy. Since 2006, three batches of 15 Colombo Plan's scholars have been trained by The KDI School.



MASTER OF PUBLIC POLICY (MPP)



DESCRIPTION



The one year Master Degree in Public Policy (MPP) for foreign students is conducted by the KDI School of Public Policy and Management in Korea. The academic year is based on a trimester system and in principle, it takes one year to complete the program. Students need a minimum of 36 credits to receive a degree. Of the 36 credits, 30 credits must be obtained through coursework in the first year. The remaining 6 credits can be fulfilled by submitting a master's thesis (worth 6 credits) before or after returning to one's country of residence and/or workplace.



The MPP program aims to educate leaders with a global perspective and an in-depth expertise in public policy-related issues. The curriculum emphasizes both theoretical and applied perspectives. MPP has concentrations as listed below.

COURSE CONCENTRATION AREAS



Trade and Industrial Policy



This concentration focuses on two of the most important areas of economic policy i.e. Trade Policy and Industrial Policy. The curriculum is designed to provide students with an understanding of industrial policies. It emphasizes both theoretical and applied perspectives, supplemented by case-studies on microeconomic policy.



Public Finance and Local Administration



The purpose of this concentration in to provide students with the understanding in the areas of government budgeting, taxation and public administration, and to educate experts in public economics to develop effective policies.



Human Resources and Social Policy



Extensive analysis of domestic and international case studies on human resource and social policy is conducted in this concentration. Specific programs and problems in current social policies will be discussed in class. Students will equipped with principles and analytical tools required for formulating policies.



Transition and Development Studies



This concentration covers a wide spectrum of economic and social development issues, highlighting many things from Korea's transitional development. The concentration also analyzes the transition methods of developing countries, including former socialist countries, and trains the students to build and execute applicable economic development strategies for various parts of the world.



International Relations and Political Economy



This concentration provides the skills and conceptual framework needed to understand political and international issues in both domestic and international circles. Core topics include political economy, national identify, Korean reunification, democracy, economic cooperation, conflict and resolution, and international organizations.



Concentrations are determined by the individual student in the third term of his/her study at the KDI School.



LANGUAGE



The Master Degree in Public Policy (MPP) is taught in English.



DURATION



The Master Degree in Public Policy (MPP) is conducted on a full-time basis starting in February 2009, and requires one year's course work.



INVITED COUNTRIES



Colombo Plan developing member countries.



ADMISSION CRITERIA



All applicants for the Master's Degree in Public Policy (MPP) must meet the following minimum general requirements.



1. Minimum 5 years experience in the public sector.

2. Nominated by the Colombo Plan National Focal Point of their respective Governments.

3. Completed a bachelor's degree or its equivalent.

4. Meet English language requirements.



Application for Admission - complete an online application at www.kdischool.ac.kr





ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS



Applicants must prove proficiency in English by submitting TOEFL (minimum 570) or IELTS (minimum 6.0) scores with the application form to Colombo Plan. (A copy of English Language test results must accompany the Application form). Those who pursued their first degree at an English medium University are exempted from this requirement.



SCHOLARSHIP



The scholarship awards will cover the following:

* A return air ticket on economy class from the closest international airport to Seoul, Korea.
* Admission costs
* Accommodation
* Full Tuition
* Living stipend
* Book allowance of US$200 per student per month.



ACCOMMODATION



The KDI School will provide accommodation.



VISA REQUIREMENTS



Applicants will need to obtain a visa from the Korean Embassy in their countries or other accredited countries before their arrival in Korea. Participating Governments are kindly requested to bear the cost of visa application for their participants. The Colombo Plan will not provide visa fees.



ATTIRE



All students are advised to adhere to the dress code of KDI.



MEMBER COUNTRY'S NOMINATION



Each member country is requested to nominate through the National Focal Point two candidates by completing the Application Form, the Medical Certificate and Admission Essay.



Please send the duly completed nomination forms (two sets) to the Colombo Plan Secretariat at the following addresses, by or before 3 October 2008.



Secretariat General

The Colombo Plan Secretariat

13th Floor, Merchant Tower

28, St. Michael's Road

Colombo 3

Sri Lanka

Tel: +94 11 2564448

Fax: +94 11 2564531



Any queries can be forwarded to Mr. Khairul Dzaimee Daud, Director of Public Administration and Environment at khairuldd@colombo-plan.orgAlamat e-mail ini telah dilindungi dari tindakan spam bots, Anda butuh Javascript dan diaktifkan untuk melihatnya



Please refrain from sending Application Forms directly to the KDI School.

The deadline for the nominations will be strickly observed.



SELECTION



Selection for the MPP programme will be done jointly by CPS and KDI School. Since we intend to notify the applicants of their acdeptance as soon as their applications are processed, sending nominations as early as possible is very much advisable.



HOW TO FILL THE APPLICATION FORM



a) Application Form



Application form need to be filled in and sent to the Colombo Plan Secretariat. The online application can be found on the Colombo Plan website www.colombo-plan.org.



b) Transcripts



Applicant should enclose certified transcripts in English with the application. Transcripts must be certified by the issuing body.



c) English Proficiency



Please send a copy of the original score sheet (TOEFL or IELTS or other proof certificates) with the application. (Applicants, who followed the first degrees in English medium, are required to prove their English proficiency by submitting copies of their degree certificates. No consideration will be given if the reqired documents are not attached).



d) Letter of Recommendation



Include two letters of recommendations. Letters should preferable be from University Professors or from the Employer. Please inform the recommenders that they should put the recommendation letters into sealed envelopes and signed across the flap. Open and unsealed recommendations are not acceptable.



e) Photographs



Applicant must attach two recent photographs (3cm x 4cm) in the application.



f) Resume



Applicant must include a standard resume (curriculum vitae) with the application.



g) Admission Essay



The admission essay is an important piece of the application. It should be carefully crafted to include your personal and career goals, desire to do graduate studies, and ability and commitment to attend the year long intensive MPP programme. It should also indicate your purpose and reasons for applying for this course. This essay should not be longer than one A4 size paper.