BY: ROI ANTHONI B. LOMOTAN
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 21 (PIA) – Representatives from the government, academe, private sector and civil society learn from Korea’s development experience in a session offered by the first blended learning program of Korea Development Institute-School of Public Police and Management (KDI) hosted by Silliman University (SU).
The said program aims to convene local stakeholders for a video conference with the KDI who will provide them a multi-dimensional approach to learning about Korea’s development experiences. The key points in the discussions can be used to create policies that can help Dumaguete City attain economic growth.
The recent session last May 16 was about the Export-lead Policy and Building Development-Friendly Environment during 1960s. The said learning program begun last April 18 and is expected to end on Oct. 17.
SU Information Officer Mark Garcia explained this is a ten-course program through an online video conference with other countries participating and Korea being the lead convener. By the end of the program, two representatives from Silliman will be chosen to participate in the “face-to-face” program in Seoul, South Korea.
“The presentations are not highly technical. An ordinary college student will be able to appreciate the presentation and find where within his or her community he/she can contribute or participate in, in terms of coming up with ideas in improving tourism perhaps, improving infrastructure development, contributing towards the overall development of local economy and national economy,” Garcia said.
Other countries who participated in the video conference were Ethiopia, China, Nigeria, Indonesia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.
Garcia also added that local stakeholders in Dumaguete City can learn a lot from Korea from being an aid recipient country to one of the rich countries in Asia. He noted that the discussions in the program are beneficial to industry professionals and practitioners.
The Southeast Asian Ministers Organization’s Regional Center for Innovation and Technology (SEAMEO INNOTECH) approached Silliman University to host the video conference and to help expand its audience in the Philippines.
The program is a partnership between KDI and the Global Development Learning Network (GDLN). (mbcn/ral/PIA7-NegOr)