- VOLUME
- Vol. 16 | (2)
- ABSTRACT FILE
-
3. KOICA Masters degree.pdf
- TITLE
- Are the procedures of recruiting and selecting developing countries’ officials for scholarship programs fair?: The examination of the KOICA Master’s degree program
- KEYWORDS
- Amartya Sen, fairness, scholarship, evaluation, development ethics
Abstract
This study examines the fairness of recruitment and selection procedures of participants
from the KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) Master’s degree scholarship
program (SP) from the perspective of development ethics, using Amartya Sen’s capability
approach as a framework. This study first finds the neglected personal, social and
environmental conversion factors and then finds how this neglect is consequently reflected
in the design of selection procedures and finally how the procedures result in unfair
practices. The focus group interview was conducted with 17 participants from 14 countries,
and KOICA guidelines were reviewed. The result shows that the SP is guilty of unfair
practices resulting from the neglecting of conversion factors, which are corruption,
bureaucracy, gender bias, English competencies of officials, geographical location,
socio-economic status, and working conditions.