The KDI School of Public Policy and Management has admitted 20 new African students for its 2026 Spring Semester, drawing participants from countries across East, West and Southern Africa.

The scholars, supported by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and other competitive funding streams, were formally received at a ceremony held at Lincoln Hall under the auspices of the African Development Forum (ADF).

The new intake follows a strong showing by African students, including Nigerians, at the KDI School’s 2025 commencement ceremony last December.

Among the standout performers was Stephen Ifeoluwa Ojegbola from Oyo State, who earned the Academic Excellence Achievement Award in Intellectual Property and Development Policy.

Nander Esmeralda Ndam from Plateau State, a Master’s graduate in Intellectual Property and Development Policy, also received an award for Student Community Service.

Speaking at the reception, Advising Professor of the ADF, Dongil Lee, a political scientist and scholar of the political economy of development, said the admission underscores Korea’s commitment to nurturing global development leadership through capacity building and academic exchange.

“As you begin your time here, I hope you will come to see KDI School as a place that encourages intellectual growth, collaboration and engagement with global development issues,” Lee said.

He noted that the ADF serves as a platform for strengthening bonds among African students while creating opportunities to engage with faculty members whose research focuses on development policy and governance.

The incoming scholars come from diverse professional and public policy backgrounds, reflecting Korea’s long-standing emphasis on knowledge-sharing partnerships with developing regions.

Lee added that the selection process highlights deepening cooperation between Korea and African countries in governance, development planning, technology and intellectual property systems.

In his remarks, ADF President Osman Sumaila described the ceremony as both an academic reception and a call to public leadership.

“Today is not just about joining an association but a mission. ADF is a platform for ideas, action and leadership for Africa’s development. By being here, you have chosen not to be spectators of Africa’s challenges but part of the solution,” he said.

Sumaila stressed that Africa’s progress depends on a generation that is “bold, disciplined and committed” to transformational change.

For continuing students, the arrival of the new cohort signals another phase in strengthening Africa’s collective voice within global policy education.

A Ghanaian PhD student in Public Policy at the school, Francis Kwabena Adjei, advised the newcomers to build networks and seek support whenever they encounter academic or social challenges.

“They should relax and make the best of the environment. If they have challenges with assignments or settling in, they shouldn’t stay alone and struggle. A problem shared is a problem half-solved,” he said.

Also speaking, Mary Ngenyi from Kenya, newly admitted into the Master’s in Development Policy programme, expressed optimism about the opportunities ahead, noting that the African student community had already eased her transition.

The students are expected to participate actively in research, policy dialogue and community engagement throughout their academic stay at the KDI School.