Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On August 10, the KOICA Uzbekistan Office hosted a Scholarship awarding ceremony for the finalists of the 2023 program. The event was attended by the alumni of KOICA Master's degree program consisting of the government officials from various ministries and agencies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the participants of the 2023 KOICA Scholarship program, and the staff of KOICA Office in Uzbekistan.

The main purpose of the gathering was to provide information about the selection process of the KOICA scholarship program, introduce the results of the 2023 program, a pre-departure orientation for this year’s finalists as well as share information on KOICA's programs, projects, and other activities in Uzbekistan. KOICA Office congratulated the participants on their great achievements and wished them continued success in their academic pursuits. 

For reference, the selection stage of the KOICA scholarship program takes place annually from February-March, when officials of government organizations, school teachers, and bank employees nominated by the government can apply. All tuition-related expenses are covered by KOICA.

The participants were acquainted with a presentation, divided into four sections. KOICA training coordinator Jurakhujaeva M. briefly introduced KOICA SP 2023 and KOICA’s missions. This year, among 110 candidates from all over Uzbekistan, 16 civil servants were selected to study at the prestigious universities of the Republic of Korea in master's degree courses in areas such as: “Social economy”, “Climate change response”, “Digital transformation technology”, “Global education leadership”, “Gender leadership”, “Civil society leadership”, “Artificial intelligence” and others. 

Further, the KOICA Senior Specialist Muhtarov R. gave a brief overview of KOICA activities and presented information on KOICA’s ongoing and planned programs and projects in Uzbekistan. Mr.Muhtarov once more congratulated the finalists of this year’s scholarship program and wished them success in their studies in Korea. 

At the closure of the official part of the ceremony, the KOICA Scholarship program alumni shared with the new students their experiences obtained while living in Korea and told about the education system, culture, food, recreation, transportation, and other interesting aspects of Korean life. A free discussion with a brainstorming session took place between the alumni and freshman participants. The scholarship winners were encouraged to make the most of this great opportunity, and upon returning as mature specialists to continue their contribution to the development of Uzbekistan in their respective fields in the future.

The participants of the ceremony were presented with scholarship certificates and gifts for their hard work and commitment and after a group photowas invited for a ceremonial lunch.