African students emerged among the top performers as the KDI School of Public Policy and Management held its 2025 Commencement Ceremony in Sejong, underscoring the institution’s expanding influence in grooming global policy leaders committed to ethical governance and sustainable development.
One of the award recipients, Stephen Ojegbola of Nigeria, won the Academic Excellence Achievement Award in Intellectual Property and Development Policy, earning recognition for outstanding academic performance.
Addressing graduates at the ceremony, the Dean of KDI School, Professor Joon-Kyung Kim, congratulated the class on completing what he described as a demanding academic journey and urged them to prepare for greater responsibilities in public service.
“Today is a day to take pride in how far you have come. After hardship comes happiness, but beyond one mountain lies another mountain,” Prof. Kim said. He noted that graduates were now part of a global KDI alumni network of more than 73,000 members across 143 countries.
The Dean highlighted KDI School’s international standing, noting that it was the first institution in South Korea to receive the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) accreditation twice. He added that the school has been recognised for the fifth consecutive year as an excellent institution by the Korean Ministry of Education.
Prof. Kim further disclosed that KDI ranked in the global 51+ band for Social Policy and Administration in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject and placed second worldwide in citations per paper. He, however, stressed that rankings were secondary to the responsibility graduates carried.
“More important than accolades is what you take with you—the skills to use data, the values to serve others and the commitment to improve the world around you,” he said, describing South Korea’s development experience as a practical roadmap for emerging economies.
In his keynote address, the Ambassador of Rwanda to the Republic of Korea, Bakuramutsa Nkubito Manzi, urged graduates to embrace collaboration in tackling global challenges.
“The era of isolated policy-making is over. Climate change, global health security and rising inequality demand cooperation, empathy and intellectual humility,” he said, adding that success in public service should be measured by impact rather than profit.
He noted that KDI training had equipped graduates to analyse policy through the lens of public good and ethical governance, charging them to become “solution makers, not just problem identifiers,” inspired by Korea’s transformation, widely known as the Miracle on the Han River.
Several African students received academic honours at the ceremony. Alinafe Yoyola of Malawi (Master of Development Policy), Alieu Ceesay of The Gambia (Master of Data Science for Public Policy and Management) and Mustapha Colley of The Gambia (Master of Public Policy) won Academic Excellence Achievement Awards. Pamela Mwale of Malawi, a Master of Public Policy graduate, was named to the Dean’s List.
Awards for Student Community Service were presented to Nander Esmeralda Ndam of Nigeria (Master in Intellectual Property and Development Policy) and Samson Garama Dadu of Kenya (Master of Public Policy).
Reflecting on his experience, Ojegbola said he chose KDI School because of its partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
“This programme links intellectual property directly to development policy. Everything here is intentionally designed to bring the best out of students, and the experience challenged me to grow beyond my expectations,” he said.
Another graduate, Muyama Christine of Uganda, described her academic journey as demanding but transformative, noting that her time at KDI reinforced the importance of interdependence, community and shared purpose in effective policy-making.
