Press Release

GGGI and Korea University ink an MoU to establish research and capacity-building partnerships

Korea University photo1SEOUL – October 31, 2017 – The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and Korea University (KU), one of the country’s oldest and most prominent institutions of higher education, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on October 31, 2017 at KU’s Office of the President to pursue joint research projects, sharing green growth knowledge and best practices, and capacity building for future green growth leaders and experts. The MoU was signed by Dr. Frank Rijsberman, Director-General of GGGI and Prof. Jaeho Yeom, President of Korea University.

The MoU formalizes a framework of cooperation and facilitates collaboration between GGGI and KU to catalyze green growth research in areas such as renewable energy, environmental science and engineering, green energy, governance, the political economy of climate change policy and the international regime on the implementation of climate change policy.

GGGI and KU will actively work together to contribute to building green growth knowledge and an evidence base for better policy-making, business and financing model development, best practices, education and advocacy – all of which will help to achieve our common objective of solving some of the world’s most pressing problems, including climate change.

“The MoU we signed today will serve as a good starting point for generating synergies in areas including research on green growth, the dissemination and advocacy of knowledge, and an exchange and visiting program for academic scholars and experts. GGGI and KU will organize joint workshops, seminars and training courses to promote green growth in Korea as well as in countries where GGGI operates,” said Dr. Frank Rijsberman, Director-General of GGGI. “The MoU will also support the sharing of green growth knowledge and best practices from GGGI’s Member and partner countries, which will help maintain and further energize the global momentum for green growth. GGGI’s Member and partner countries are committed to transform their economies to a new model of green economic growth that is environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive.”

The MOU is a result of initial collaboration through the signed Letter of Intent dated March 18, 2015 on a capacity building program, titled “Global Energy Technology Policy Professionals Program (GETPPP)” which is a Master and Ph.D. degree program to educate government officials and specialists in the field of energy technology. In 2015, GGGI recommended a PhD candidate from member country (Vietnam) and he was accepted for the program to pursue his PhD study at KU. In 2017, candidates from four GGGI member countries (Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam) applied for the 2018 KU-GETPPP and are waiting for the admission decision. In addition, in 2017 several KU students are being interviewed for internships and by now 1 offered internship at GGGI and GGGI would like to replicate the “Early Career Exchange Scholars” with many more of key academic partners including with Korea University.

The Korea University is an institution committed to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, research and service that houses numerous research centers and institutes, including, among others, the Green School (Graduate School of Energy and Environment), a specialized graduate school for energy and environmental policies and technologies. Through partnering with KU, GGGI will leverage the University’s policy and research knowledge and personnel to develop policy delivery capacity in Member and partner countries to advance implementation of their NDCs and progress toward the SDGs.

The initial focus of the research partnership will be the Joint work to recommend delegates within GGGI countries to attend the 2018 KU-GETPPP (Korea University-Global Energy Technology Policy Professionals Program) and building the capacity of policy makers to enhance an understanding of the development of policy options for achieving green growth and a green economy and also to initiate research on Green Growth Impact on economic development and income generation to the selected GGGI member countries.

Green job will be additional areas of research development in the next phase of the partnership. Within these thematic areas, the two institutions will join forces on proposal development to funders; engage in knowledge sharing workshops; share data and online content; and develop joint training and learning programs.

About GGGI

Based in Seoul, GGGI is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization founded to support and promote green growth. The organization partners with countries to help them build economies that grow strongly, are more efficient and sustainable in the use of natural resources, less carbon intensive, and more resilient to climate change. GGGI works with countries around the world, building their capacity and working collaboratively on green growth policies that can impact the lives of millions. To learn more about GGGI, see https://gggi.org and visit us on Facebook and Twitter.