KOREA-LAC TECH CORPS PROGRAM

The Inter-American Development Bank (Bank), with the financial support of the Knowledge Partnership Korea Fund for Technology and Innovation, approved a Technical Cooperation to (i) enhance the institutional capacity of LAC public institutions by providing full scholarships to mid-level public officials to pursue a master’s degree in Public Management or Public Policy with an ICT-related focus in Korean universities and (ii) support innovation projects in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) by promoting knowledge transfer from the Republic of Korea (Korea) in areas of information and communication technology (ICT).

This initiative aims to support public officials in Latin America and the Caribbean to improve their analytical, managerial and information skills, and promote knowledge sharing between Korea and the region by providing Korean young professionals the opportunity to contribute and gain professional and cultural experience in LAC countries.

Under the leadership of the Competitiveness, Technology and Innovation (CTI) Division, the Korea-LAC Tech Corps Program includes two components: a Korea Tech Corps and a LAC Tech Corps.

• The Korea Tech Corps component will support Korean young professionals to contribute and gain professional and cultural experience by participating in ICT-related projects and/or providing ICT-based solutions tailored to specific business needs of public agencies or private companies in LAC countries for 12 months.
• The LAC Tech Corps component will support Latin America and the Caribbean public officials to pursue a master’s degree in public management or public policy with ICT-related specializations or other relevant areas with an ICT focus in Korea for 18 months.

Are you a government employee from one of the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries? 
Have you worked as a full-time employee for a public institution for over 5 years? 
Are you interested in receiving a fully funded scholarship to receive a master’s degree in Korea?

The "LAC Tech Corps" program will finance up to 25 LAC government officials to receive a full scholarship to pursue a master’s degree program offered by a higher education institution in Korea. These scholarships will cover the full tuition for a Master’s degree in public management or public policy with ICT-related specializations or other relevant areas with an ICT focus. To receive a notification as soon as the call for students opens, please fill in this pre-registration form. 

The selected public officials for the scholarship are expected to comply with the following requirements:

• A Bachelor's degree or equivalent with a superior academic record.
• At least five (5) years of full-time professional working experience in the public sector (acquired after a university degree) at the time of application.
• Proficiency in oral and written English communication skills to be able to pursue studies (as determined by TOEFL or an equivalent exam approved by the Korean university).
• 40 years old or less at the time of application.