Ambassadors from 20 African nations spotlight YU’s Saemaul Studies, elevating it as a key agenda for international cooperation

YU draws strong interest from Africa’s diplomatic community as the global expansion of Saemaul Studies accelerates

Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul has trained international development professionals from 81 countries and eight international organizations, including the World Bank and WFP

President CHOI Oe-chool, ranked No. 4 globally in Leadership in the WURI rankings, pledges to support developing countries by sharing Korea’s development experience

[July 9, 2026]

<President CHOI Oe-chool delivers a special lecture at the invitation of the African Group of Ambassadors (AGA).>

Yeungnam University (YU), led by President CHOI Oe-chool, is gaining recognition as a successful model of international development cooperation through education by expanding the scope of its educational diplomacy with African nations based on its Saemaul Studies program.

 On July 3, President CHOI delivered a special lecture at a meeting of the African Group of Ambassadors (AGA) held at the Seoul Club. The lecture was especially meaningful as it was arranged at the official invitation of Chafik Rachadi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Korea and Chair of the AGA.

 Over the years, leaders from major developing countries around the world have turned to YU to study Saemaul Studies. This time, however, ambassadors representing African nations directly invited President CHOI—who systematized the content of the Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement) into the academic discipline of Saemaul Studies—to deliver a lecture. This reflects how YU's Saemaul Studies has evolved beyond a training program or degree course to become a key agenda for international cooperation through official diplomatic channels.

 Ambassadors and diplomats from 20 African countries, including Morocco, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania, attended the lecture. The diplomatic representatives expressed strong interest in YU's Saemaul Studies and Korea's model of sharing its development experience, demonstrating high expectations for YU as a leading institution for cultivating professionals in Saemaul-based development across Africa.

 President CHOI delivered a one-hour lecture titled "Key Drivers of Korea's Development and Ideas for Sharing Them: YU's Model for Training Saemaul Undong Specialists." He introduced the achievements of the Saemaul Undong in helping Korea overcome extreme poverty and transform into an advanced nation, while explaining how YU has academically systematized the movement into Saemaul Studies and developed it into globally accessible educational content. He also emphasized that YU's distinctive model of international development cooperation goes beyond one-time aid by educating local leaders, offering degree programs, and even transferring curriculum design expertise to partner universities—providing a sustainable development model for developing countries.

These achievements in educational diplomacy have been made possible by the extensive global network that YU has built through Saemaul Studies over many years. Since its establishment in 2011, the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul (PSPS) has provided full scholarships and living stipends to approximately 1,000 students from 81 countries, including officials from eight international organizations such as the World Bank and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). PSPS has established itself as a leading institution for educating master's-level professionals in international development.

Countries represented in YU's Saemaul Studies master's program: 8 international organizations and 81 countries.

 These accomplishments have led to concrete requests for cooperation from African governments. In April this year, senior government officials from Rwanda and Sierra Leone visited YU in succession. Rwanda discussed expanding existing Saemaul cooperation into additional academic fields, including engineering and agriculture, while developing a long-term talent development model. Meanwhile, the Government of Sierra Leone dispatched a high-level delegation—including the Minister of   Technical and Higher Education, the Ambassador to Korea, and faculty members from public universities—to sign an agreement establishing Departments of Saemaul Economic Development at two public universities in the country. The initiative represents an unprecedented effort to integrate Korea's development experience and Saemaul Studies into Sierra Leone's higher education system as a foundation for national innovation. At the time, Haja Ramatulai Wurie, Sierra Leone's Minister of Technical and Higher Education, visited Korea solely to discuss cooperation with YU on cultivating Saemaul Studies professionals before returning home immediately after completing her schedule.

 YU's global leadership in innovation has also been recognized internationally. In the 2026 World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) announced in May, YU ranked third in the world for Student Mobility and Openness and fourth globally in Visionary Leadership. In particular, the University's fourth-place global ranking in Leadership reflects international recognition of President CHOI's vision and commitment to cultivating global talent and expanding international networks through Saemaul Studies. Beyond innovation within the campus, YU's contribution to advancing public values—including global poverty reduction and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—also aligns with the reasons the African ambassadors invited President CHOI to speak.

 Over the years, YU has built strong partnerships not only with African countries such as Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone, but also with developing nations across Latin America (Nicaragua), Central Asia (Uzbekistan), and Southeast Asia (Cambodia and Vietnam). Through a step-by-step expansion of civil servant and community leader training programs, academic degree programs, and inter-university partnerships, Saemaul Studies—Korea's unique educational platform born from the nation's transformation from an aid recipient to an aid donor—has emerged as one of the world's most compelling models for international development assistance.

 Dessie Dalkie Dukamo, Ambassador of Ethiopia to Korea, who attended the lecture, said, "I sincerely thank President CHOI Oe-chool for honoring the AGA monthly meeting with such an inspiring and insightful lecture. I am deeply impressed by his unwavering commitment to globalizing the spirit of the Saemaul Undong, and I hope that many developing countries across Africa will achieve remarkable community development through YU's leadership and the sharing of the Saemaul Undong."

 President CHOI said, "It is a great honor to share Korea's development experience and YU's achievements in Saemaul Studies with diplomats representing African nations at the invitation of the African Group of Ambassadors. Saemaul Studies is a practical form of educational diplomacy that helps developing countries build their own engines of growth and nurture future generations. We will continue expanding our global network and responsibly fulfill YU's vision of cultivating leaders who contribute to the shared prosperity of humanity." He added, "I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to my fellow professors who have devoted themselves to advancing the academic study and research of the Saemaul Undong despite many challenges, as well as to distinguished experts in Korea and abroad—including former UN Secretary-General BAN Ki-moon and former World Bank President KIM Yong Kim—for their invaluable guidance. This lecture will remain one of the most unforgettable moments in YU's journey of educational diplomacy."