By Kim Hayeon 

The Ministry of Education and National Institute for International Education (NIIED) on Aug. 18 jointly hosted a farewell event to mark the graduation of international students who received a government scholarship to earn university degrees in Korea at NIIED headquarters in the Bundang-gu District of Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do Province.

A combined 474 graduates from 110 countries who studied at 64 domestic universities were honored at the event.

Among them, 29 received a bachelor's degree, 381 a master's and 61 a Ph.D., with three others finishing research programs.

By continent, Asia had 249 students or 52% of the total, Europe 79 (17%) and Africa 64 (14%). By major, 269 or 57% studied humanities and social sciences, followed by 187 in physical sciences and engineering (39%), and 18 in entertainment, arts and sports (4%).

Certain students also used their education in Korea to produce tangible achievements.

Dilani from Sri Lanka, a Korean-language education major at Paichai University in Daejeon, created an educational app for those wanting to learn Korean in her country. The app will see trial operation at two middle schools in the island nation.

Since its establishment in 1967, the Global Korea Scholarship has selected talented students from abroad to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in Korea.

With 7,400 people earning degrees in Korea thanks to the program, the scholarship counts as its alumni global leaders like Greg Scarlatoiu, executive director of the U.S.-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, and Supaporn Boonrung, chair of the Korean-language department at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.

Park Ji-Young, director-general of the ministry's International Cooperation Bureau, said in a congratulatory speech, "I sincerely congratulate all of you for successfully completing your studies in an unfamiliar environment, and support your growth path as world-class talent to serve as bridges between your homelands and Korea with your academic achievements and relationships becoming important assets."

hayeounk8@korea.kr