Discussions on national development plans of Rwanda through ‘Saemaul Undong’
Good reviews on local activities of African graduates from the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul
Agreed to discuss follow-up activities to MOU such as opening Saemaul Department at local universities in Rwanda
[November 6, 2020]
<YU and the Rwandan Ambassador to Korea held discussions for the localization of the ‘Saemaul Undong’>
Rwandan Ambassador to Korea Yasmin Amri Sued visited YU on the 6th to discuss national development plans for Rwanda through the ‘Saemaul Undong’. The purpose is to transfer YU’s knowhow on plans to apply the Saemaul Undong to developing countries and to share the economic development experience of Korea through the Saemaul Undong.
Ambassador Yasmin, who made his first official visit to YU since being appointed as ambassador in October 2019, met with YU President Sur Gil-soo, Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul Dean Kim Gi-soo, and Global Saemaul Development Network (GSDN) Chairman and Professor of Saemaul and International Development Choi Wae-chul where he said, “I believe that Korea’s Saemaul Undong can contribute greatly to the development of Rwanda.” and added, “I hope our two institutes will maintain close cooperative relations for this in the future.”
YU also introduced success cases of African graduates of the Park Chung Hee School serving as public officials back in their home countries where they proposed various policies and pursued projects by applying the Saemaul Undong. Ambassador Yasmin said, “I hope that there will be more international students from Rwanda studying at the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul.” The Rwandan embassy in Korea will actively support the student selection process.”
YU introduced the dual diploma program for Saemaul with Western University of Cambodia and also proposed establishing a Saemaul department at universities in Rwanda. YU also shared the direction for the global Saemaul project such as constructing a global network among alumni of the Park Chung Hee School, which the ambassador showed great interest in. YU and the Rwandan embassy agreed to enter an MOU for the installation of a Saemaul department in Rwanda and for selecting students for the Park Chung Hee School through further discussions in the future.
<From left to right: Rwandan Ambassador to Korea Yasmin Amri Sued, YU President Sur Gil-soo, Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul Dean Kim Gi-soo>
YU President Sur Gil-soo said, “YU’s achievements in education and research that paved an academic system for Saemaul studies have received international recognition. Every year, government and public institute employees, international developments, etc. from developing countries around the world come to YU to learn about the Saemaul Undong and international development.” He added, “I am confident that the specialized knowhow and knowledge that YU has accumulated will contribute to the development of Rwanda. I hope that starting with the Saemaul and international development sector, exchange will be expanded to various fields.”
Since 2012 when the YU Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul received its first new students, a total of 729 students from 68 countries enrolled, and up until now, 626 earned master’s degrees in Saemaul studies. Among them, 39 are from Rwanda, accounting for about 6% of the total. This is the highest number following Indonesia with 56 and the Philippines (39). This represents just how much interest Rwanda has on the Saemaul Undong.
Most of the international students at the Park Chung Hee School are professionals working for the government, financial institutes, press, and legal sector who came to YU to learn about the Saemaul Undong. That is why the Rwandan ambassador to Korea is so keenly interested in this. Back in April of 2018, the former Rwandan ambassador to Korea visited YU to give a special lecture to international students at the Park Chung Hee School. The new ambassador’s visit to YU is an extension of this, and there are growing anticipations of a Rwandan Saemaul Undong to occur.
