The KOICA Development Research Award (KOICA Award) was a competitive prize administered by GDN and funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). KOICA is the main implementing agency for Korea’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) grant programs. The prize identified and recognized completed research papers that engage in promising growth studies that investigate the salient features of Korea’s growth experience (Republic of Korea or South Korea) and provided an interesting analytical benchmark to analyze growth issues and prospects in developing countries. The authors of the papers were nationals of developing countries.
The inaugural round of the KOICA Award generated high interest with over 180 submissions investigating the relevance of Korea's development experience for developing countries
The winners of the KOICA Award 2014 were announced in mid-July 2014 and received monetary prizes and an opportunity to travel to Seoul, Korea in late summer 2014 to attend the prize distribution ceremony.
Prize Categories
The KOICA Development Research Award were given out in the following prize categories:
First Prize: USD 8,000
Second Prize: USD 6,000
Third Prize: USD 4,000
In addition, there were three special prizes:
KOICA President’s Award for the Best Submission from a researcher from the 26 Priority Partner Countries of the Korean Government: USD 4,000
KOICA Award for the Best Submission from a Young Researcher/Team (the individual researcher must be under 30 years; in case of a team submission, at least one researcher must be under 30 years of age and all team members must be under 35 years of age): USD 3,000
KOICA Award for the Best Submission from a Woman Researcher/Team of Women Researchers: USD 3,000.
The winners of this competition were also be provided an opportunity to travel to Seoul, Korea in late summer 2014 to attend the prize distribution ceremony.Travel and other related expenses for the winners to attend this event were borne by GDN.
Eligibility Criteria
- Open to nationals of eligible developing countries. Click here to see the full list of eligible countries.
- Nationals of eligible developing countries who temporarily based in an ineligible country but not for more than five years as 15 April, 2014
- There was no age limit to apply. However, qualifying individual applicants, under the age of 30 years as of 15 April, 2014, were considered for the award for young researcher(s). Teams could also compete for this award provided that at least one team member was under 30 years of age and all team members were below 35 years of age as of 15 April 2014
- Staff members of multilateral and bilateral organizations were not eligible to apply
- Previous and current employees of KOICA and GDN or its RNPs were not eligible to apply up till 5 years from the completion of their tenure. Previous GDN Board Members, project mentors and members of evaluation teams were not eligible to apply
- Similar proposals or papers resulting as products from full or partial GDN funded activities could not be submitted for this competition
- Reviewers and selection committee members for the competition were not eligible to take part in the competition
Winners and Working Papers
See the competition winners and Working Papers:
Africa | Knowledge Economy Gaps, Policy Syndromes and Catch-up Strategies: Fresh South Korean Lessons to Africa
ASEAN Countries | Lessons for ASEAN Countries Stuck in a “Middle-Income Trap” from Korea’s Economic Development & Institutions
South Korea | Trade and Growth Nexus in South Korea: Analysis Using Vector Error Correction Model and Granger Causality Test
Vietnam | Resources mobilization by Self-Help approach to Rural Development Program in Vietnam: Lessons from Saemaul Undong in Korea
Find out more
To find the studies completed under this program, please go to the Research section of this website, and check back frequently for updates.