International student of Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul international returned to Tanzania after graduating and became a governor
Recently visited YU and Gyeongsan City with businessmen asking to help develop Tanzania
Pursuing positive exchange in various fields including government, academic and industries
[March 7, 2018]
A Tanzanian graduate of the YU Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul became mayor back at his home country and returned to YU. Matthew N. Lubongeja (53) of the Sengemara District, Tanzania, came to learn the know-how of YU using Korea’s economic development experience as the role model for its development.
On February 27, Mayor Lubongeja visited YU together with Tanzanian businessmen including Jonta Investment Limited Chairman John Elias Ntalimbo and met with YU President Sur Gil-soo requesting YU’s assistance for the development of Tanzania. Mayor Lubongeja enrolled at the YU Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul in September 2016 and earned his master’s degree in February 2018. Mayor Lubongeja was the vice-mayor at the time he enrolled at the graduate school.
Mayor Lubongeja said, “The experience that I gained at the YU Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul played a decisive role for me to become mayor.” He added, “I was deeply impressed with Korea’s development based on the Saemaul Undong that I learned at YU. The first thing that I thought about after becoming mayor was to integrated Korea’s economic development policies and know-how into Tanzania to make my country economically strong just like Korea. I have come to YU with Tanzanian businesspeople to learn about this know-how.”
YU President Sur Gil-soo said, “The Saemaul Undong and spirit acted as the driving force for Korea’s rapid development. YU established an academic system in various fields such as international development based on the Saemaul science.” He added, “The academic knowledge and know-how accumulated by YU will help the development of not only Tanzania, but other developing countries around the world as well.”
While meeting with Mr. Sur, Mayor Lubongeja proposed exchange cooperation with Tanzanian universities such as the Sokoine University of Agriculture and St. Augustine University of Tanzania. In response to Mayor Lubongeja’s proposals, YU is planning to pursue international cooperation projects such as jointly carrying out education to transmit the Saemaul Undong and Saemaul spirit as well as regional development projects.
Businessmen from Tanzania that visited YU together with Mayor Lubongeja showed deep interest in YU’s educational mission and the academic program of the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul, and said in unison, “If youths from Tanzania come study at YU to gain knowledge and experience, it will help greatly with the development of Tanzania.”
Mayor Lubongeja not only visited YU, but also Gyeongsan City, where YU is located, to discuss making friendly relations with Gyeongsan Mayor Choi Young-jo. Mayor Lubongeja revealed that he would like to pursue exchange focusing on the advanced agricultural technologies of Gyeongsan and dispatch a public official of Sengemara to Gyeongsan to learn the advanced agricultural technologies.
Mayor Lubongeja’s visit to YU and Gyeongsan received huge attention from the Tanzanian press as well (left on photo, press coverage in Tanzania, link:https://globalpublishers.co.tz/kampuni-za-tanzania-korea-zasaini-ushirikiano-katika-ujenzi). This is because he believes that exchange with YU will help with the development of Tanzania. As an international student of the YU Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul became a governor at his home country and is actively pursuing exchange with various Korean institutes together with Tanzanian public officials, scholars and entrepreneurs, it is expected that the social and economic ripple effect will be considerable for both countries.
