‘KDI-WB Capacity Building and Training Program: 
Strengthening Digital Skills in East Asia and Pacific’ successfully concluded

• The ‘KDI-WB Capacity Building and Training Program: Strengthening Digital Skills in EAP’ was jointly organized by the Korea Development Institute (KDI) and the World Bank (WB), taking place from December 5th to 8th, 2023.

  The KDI Global Knowledge Exchange and Development Center (GKEDC) planned this training program based on the insights provided in the World Bank’s 2022 report, “Digital Skills in EAP: Key Findings and Recommendations from the Country Studies.” The report delves into the digital capabilities of each country in the East Asia and Pacific region. The primary objective of the capacity-building program was to share and transfer Korea’s operational know-how in the realms of digital transformation and education to each country. 
  
  Among the countries featured in the report’s case study, three countries-Indonesia, Mongolia, and the Philippines-were chosen based on demand. Digital transformation project’s partners from the WB in the education field from each of these countries actively engaged in the training. Furthermore, officials from central ministries, encompassing the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Information and Communication, along with representatives from affiliated public institutions and the private sector, also served as participants.

• Under the overarching theme of ‘digital transformation in the field of education,’ this capacity-building program conducted knowledge-sharing activities focused on three axes: ▲ Digital infrastructure construction, ▲ Establishment of digital policies, and ▲ Digital education and teacher training.

  This 4-day training program comprised a knowledge-sharing seminar, site visits, and Action Plan workshops. Its objective was to impart Korea’s expertise in digital transformation and operational intricacies within the educational sphere, thereby fostering cross-border intellectual exchanges. A noteworthy aspect of the program was its the vivid portrayal of Korea’s dynamic Educational Technology (Ed-Tech) ecosystem, showcased during visits to various institutions, including government agencies and private enterprises related to Ed-Tech.
  
   In particular, to establish the envisioned Action Plan*, topic-based workshops and country-specific workshops were conducted concurrently. These workshops aimed to engage in discussions from diverse perspectives extending beyond national boundaries. The experts from the Korea Education and Research Information Service (KERIS) and the Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI) played pivotal roles, sharing practical experiences and offering in-depth feedback from their respective fields.  
  
  * KDI’s performance-based ‘FRUIT’ful Action Plan is the ultimate result of the training. It is designed to empower participants to directly analyze their country’s current status and establish effective measures to achieve the goals outlined in the Action Plan.

• On the first day (Dec. 5th, Tue) of the program, a knowledge-sharing seminar was conducted under the theme of  ‘digital transformation and overall education policy.’

  The seminar began with keynote speeches by Wonki Min, the former Second Vice Minister of Science and ICT, and Sunjin Song, Director for Digital Transformation of Education Division at the Ministry of Education. Each presentation held under the themes of ‘Korea’s digital transformation journey’ and ‘future education vision in the digital era’ shared the process of establishing and implementing Korea’s digital transformation policy and the current Ministry of Education’s vision and direction.
  
  The second session addressed the impact of digital transformation on society and education. Bongsoo Keum, a research fellow at the National Information Society Agency (NIA), shared Korea’s experience in establishing national digital infrastructure and digital inclusion policies. Professor Booyuel Kim of Seoul National University introduced new trends for education, presenting research results on the impact assessment of digital technology in both Korea and Vietnam.
  
   In the following session, representatives from three countries-Indonesia, Mongolia, and the Philippines-delivered country reports on the current status of digital transformation and education. Based on the advice of Jong-won Seo, Director for the Office of Planning and Coordination at the KERIS, the first day concluded with the kick-off country workshop aimed at selecting the topic for the Action Plan.

  
  
   

• On the second day (Dec. 6th, Wed) of the program involved a site visits to relevant organizations, with a focus on ‘digital technology development policy and infrastructure.’ During the visit, we observed the implementation of the policies and infrastructures discussed on the first day in practical settings.

  At the Sejong City Institute of Education, we gained insights into the outline of Korea’s National Education Information System (NEIS) and toured the actual data observation system room. Additionally, we visited Gowoon High School, designated as a leading school in artificial education (AI) education in Sejong City, to explore the information education room and listen to examples of its classroom applications. Subsequently, at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) exhibition hall, participants experienced Korea’s leading digital technologies beyond the education field. 

  
  
   

• On the third day (Dec. 7th, Thu) featured expert lectures and visits to institutions focusing on ‘Ed-tech and teacher training.’ Furthermore, participants actively engaged in workshops organized by topic and country, contributing to the development of a comprehensive Action Plan.

   Hyunju Kim, Impact Director of ENUMA, shared cases of collaboration with Indonesia on the topic of education for all through ed-tech. Seejoon Chang, the Director of the AI digital textbook division at the KERIS, provided instruction on TOUCH* teachers, a program endorsed by the current Ministry of Education and operated by KERIS, along with introducing its method of use. In the afternoon, there was a visit to Visang Education Co., offering an opportunity for hands-on experience classes using ed-tech.
  
   * Teachers who Upgraded Class with High-tech
  
   A key highlight of the day was placed on facilitating extensive cross-border exchange of ideas. Discussion session was organized for each topic in two groups: ▲ education from the perspective of digital transformation, and ▲ digital transformation from the perspective of education. During the ensuing country workshop, the formulation of an Action Plan was finalized, drawing from insights gathered through seminars, institutional visits, and thematic workshops. 

  

• On the fourth day (Dec. 8th, Fri), each country’s Action Plan, established during the training period, was presented. Supplementary measures were explored through consultation with experts in each field and Q&A sessions among participants.

   Three countries-Indonesia, Mongolia, and the Philippines-delivered presentations on their Action Plans. In the digital field, Sang-won Ko, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for International Cooperation Research, KISDI, and in the education field, Jongwon Seo, Director for the Office of Planning and Coordination at KERIS, provided advice for their respective fields.
  
   The Action Plan will be incorporated into WB education and digital transformation projects in each country for evaluation of its effectiveness.
   

• This capacity-building program served as a platform for countries with a shared objective of digital innovation to converge, exchanging distinctive national attributes and deliberating on individual strategies, successes, and failures in the process of establishing an Action Plan.

  The countries participating in this program are making policy efforts, such as constructing a technical framework for digital transformation, but are facing challenges in implementation due to difficulties in fundraising and fragmented cooperation among partner organizations. In this situation, the participants evaluated that this program provided an opportunity to collectively address common problems and seek solutions across national boundaries.
  
  Dongsoo Kang, Executive Director of the KDI GKEDC, explained, “Korea has effectively introduced digital technology into the education field through the synergy of inclusive digital policies, national infrastructure construction, and human capacity development,” and emphasized “We hope that countries participating in the training will be able to seek a path to digital transformation in the education field based on Korea’s experience.”

Written by:
Jongin Sun, Head of the Global Knowledge Cooperation Team 1  02-6312-4047, jisun@kdi.re.kr