Amman, Oct. 8 (Petra) -- The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Amman and the KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) co-hosted the first "2025 Korea Alumni of Jordan" event, bringing together more than 100 alumni and participants from Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) programs and KOICA Fellowship initiatives. Attendees represented a wide range of Jordanian ministries and public institutions.
In his opening remarks, Kim Pil Woo, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Jordan, highlighted this event is special because it is the first occasion to bring together members of the KOICA Alumni Association and the Global Korea Scholarship. He reaffirmed the close relationship between Korea and Jordan is based on a quiet but profound friendship, cooperation, respect and cultural exchange over the last 6 decades, emphasizing a strong, multi-dimensional partnership driven by deep and enduring people-to-people connections.
He also expressed all alumni is the living witness of the close ties between Korea and Jordan, playing an invaluable role in further nurturing these ties through the exchange of knowledge, experience, and culture. He encouraged all participants to be effective leaders, advocates, and change-makers in their respective fields in Jordan and beyond through the skills, technologies and academic knowledge gained in Korea and to keep the spirit of collaboration.
In her remarks, Secretary General of the Ministry of Education Sahar Shakhatreh highlighted the depth of the longstanding partnership between Jordan and the Republic of Korea, emphasizing the importance of continued cooperation in education and human resource development. She commended the graduates of KOICA and the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) programs for their dedication and contributions, noting that their acquired knowledge and skills will play a vital role in advancing Jordan’s development goals and strengthening the bonds of friendship between two nations.
During the event, seven Jordanian government officials who had participated in KOICA programs shared their insights from the specialized training courses tailored to their professional fields. Throughout 2025, KOICA organized nine advanced training programs for Jordanian government officials, designed to enhance their expertise, strengthen professional capacities, and drive national development.
Additionally, a Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) alumna presented lessons learned from her academic journey in Korea, highlighting the unique value of cross-cultural exchange and academic enrichment.
The event concluded with a presentation from the 2025 KAAJ (KOICA Alumni Association of Jordan) Board, who outlined their ongoing community initiatives and reaffirmed the Association’s dedication to supporting vulnerable groups throughout Jordan.
KOICA has been offering training opportunities to Jordan since 1991 through its Capacity Improvement and Advancement for Tomorrow (CIAT) initiative, which focuses on developing human capacities to foster sustainable socio-economic growth. To date, 1,244 Jordanian officials have taken part in training programs in Korea.
Since 1967, the Korean government has also provided scholarship opportunities, Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) program to provide international students with opportunities to study education institutions in Korea, both undergraduate and graduate level. The scholarship aims to enhance international education exchange and strengthen mutual friendship between Korea and participating countries.
//Petra// AJ
