The KOICA Youth Leaders Program (YLP) 2026–2027 is one of the most comprehensive leadership, digital innovation, and capacity‑building programs available to young professionals across West Africa. Designed and implemented by the Institute for Global Social Responsibility (IGSR), Hallym University, in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), this multi‑stage program equips emerging leaders with the skills, tools, and global exposure needed to drive socio‑economic transformation in their home countries.

Application Deadline: June 17th, 16:00 (Local Time) Submission: Official Email of the respective KOICA Country Office

Program Overview

The KOICA Youth Leaders Program is structured into three major stages, each designed to progressively build participants’ leadership, policy, and digital innovation capabilities.

1. Stage 1 — Online Training (July 20–31, 2026)

A joint foundational course for both public and private sector participants. Total participants: 200 (100 public sector + 100 private sector) Each of the five participating countries—Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal—selects 40 participants (20 public + 20 private).

Key focus areas include:

• African youth leadership
• SDGs and development cooperation
• Generative AI tools
• Problem framing and design thinking
• Digital transformation and AI transformation

Participants must attend at least 60% of sessions, complete assignments, and submit a Country Report by July 17th.

2. Stage 2 — Local Training in Ghana (August 2026)

Held at GIMPA (Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration) in Accra.

Public Sector Training (August 2–15, 2026)

Designed for:

• Policy planners
• Public administrators
• Governance and civic‑tech practitioners

Core modules include:

• Public policy design and the policy cycle
• Civic leadership and accountability
• E‑government and digital public service innovation
• AI‑based workflow automation
• Project Concept Paper (PCP) development

Field visits:

• AITI‑KACE (Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT)
• National Youth Authority (NYA), Ghana

Private Sector Training (August 16–29, 2026)

Designed for:

• Startup founders
• Tech developers
• Digital innovators

Core modules include:

• Customer discovery and market analysis
• Business Model Canvas (BMC)
• No‑code app development (Glide, Bubble, etc.)
• AI API integration
• Pitch deck development using AI tools

Field visits:

• MEST Africa
• UNICEF Startup Lab
• AITI‑KACE

3. Stage 3 — Invitational Training in Korea (June 2027)

A 14‑day advanced training program at Hallym University, Republic of Korea. Only 60 outstanding participants (30 public + 30 private) will be selected based on a strict evaluation matrix.

Evaluation Weighting:

1. Attendance & Engagement – 20%
2. Assignment & Task Performance – 20%
3. Action Plan Quality – 25%
4. Pitching & Presentation Skills – 15%
5. Collaboration & Leadership – 10%
6. Practical Applicability & Impact – 10%

Balanced representation across:

• 5 countries
• Public and private sectors

Eligibility Requirements

Required

• Youth aged 19–34
• Working in public sector, private sector, or academia
• Interest in leadership and digital innovation
• English communication skills
• Availability for Ghana training
• Eligibility for Ghana and Korea visa issuance

Priority Consideration

• Associate degree or 2+ years of experience
• Female applicants and rural applicants
• Public sector: policy planning practitioners
• Private sector: early‑stage startup entrepreneurs

Preferred

• Experience in AI or ICT
• Strong teamwork willingness
• Public policy or entrepreneurship experience
• Commitment to knowledge‑sharing

Application Process

Submit the following documents to your KOICA Country Office:

1. KOICA Application Form (PDF, signed)
2. Letter of Recommendation (PDF, signed)
3. Passport Copy (valid, PDF)
4. Agreement on Provision of Personal Information

 

Final selected participants must submit a medical check‑up certificate issued in 2026.

Program Curriculum Breakdown

Joint Modules

• Leadership & Youth Empowerment
• Problem‑solving leadership
• Digital transformation & AI
• Generative AI for work and business
• SDGs and development cooperation

Public Sector Modules

• Public policy planning
• Governance and accountability
• Digital government
• Policy proposal development
• Action Plan (PCP) workshops

Private Sector Modules

• Entrepreneurship opportunity discovery
• MVP development
• Market sizing and scalability
• AI‑enabled business modeling
• Pitching and fundraising strategy

Action Plan (AP) & Country Report Requirements

Country Report

• Due: July 17th, 11:59 PM KST
• Format: PowerPoint (max 10 pages)

Action Plan

A structured implementation document addressing:

• National challenges
• AI/ICT‑based solutions
• Policy or business innovation
• Feasibility and scalability

Participants present their AP during local training and are evaluated for Korea selection.

 

Application Deadline

June 17th, 16:00 (Local Time)