Cambodia’s First Social Welfare Program ‘Ewha-RUPP’ Spotlighted as Successful International Cooperation Model
- 작성처
- Date2013.08.12
- 6794
Ewha has been spotlighted in national media and the New York Times for its role in a highly impactful social welfare program entering its fourth year of existence.
The Department of Social Welfare established the Social Welfare masters program, ‘Ewha-RUPP’, in the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) in Cambodia in 2009. As social work was a previously unknown field in Cambodian universities, the country was able to establish the first Department of Social Welfare thanks to Ewha’s expertise and support.
Ewha provided instrumental support in developing the curriculum over the course of two years, and began to send Social Welfare professors to teach in the program in December 2009. Now in its third year of existence, the academic program is fully operational, and this summer four professors are lecturing at the university.
Ewha-RUPP has thus far shown great results. Last March, 14 students formed the first class of graduates, and 12 students are currently enrolled in the masters program, set to become the second class of graduates in 2014. Of this year’s graduates, three are employed as social workers, and the others are working as professors or NGO administrators in Cambodia or Singapore.
As tales of the program’s success spread, Ewha-RUPP has been spotlighted in various media, including the New York Times and Chosun-ilbo. The New York Times reported on Ewha’s role in capacity building and training social workers in Cambodia. The Chosun-ilbo praised the professors who dedicated their time and expertise to building the excellent program and improving society.
Professor Kim Mihye, Dean of the College of Social Welfare, stated that ‘Ewha’s Department of Social Welfare was established with the help of an American missionary, and Cambodia’s current situation is very similar to ours back in the 1950’s.’ She also noted that Ewha is putting its ‘best efforts into leading and working toward improving the status of developing countries.’