Hanyang University and KOICA to Root Technical Education in West Africa

[Financial News] Hanyang University ERICA is working with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to transfer Korean-style vocational and technical education know-how to Côte d'Ivoire in West Africa, laying the groundwork for training local technical talent. The number of teachers trained in practical engineering fields such as machinery, automobiles and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has now approached 500.
Hanyang University ERICA's Industry-Academia Cooperation Foundation said on the 25th that 78 TVET teachers completed a local training program held at IPNETP in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. The program included 58 teachers from four engineering majors and 20 teachers who completed ICT-based teaching methods training.
As a result, the cumulative number of teachers who have completed training locally has risen to 494 since the launch in 2022 of the 'Côte d'Ivoire IPNETP Teacher ICT-Based Teaching Capacity Building Project.' The project, led by Hanyang University ERICA's Industry-Academia Cooperation Foundation as the project management consulting (PMC) agency, has drawn attention as a model for industrial education innovation in West Africa and was even featured prominently in the local daily Fraternité Matin.
The training focused on key areas closely tied to Côte d'Ivoire's industrial transition. Rather than limiting the program to basic digital literacy, it taught teachers in four engineering fields — machinery, automation, automobiles and ICT — how to operate advanced hands-on training equipment and use digital tools. In particular, the program maximized its impact by building a 'cascade training' system, in which teachers who completed the course return to their schools and institutions to pass on the skills to students and fellow teachers.
The project is also improving the overall local vocational education infrastructure by providing one-stop support, from curriculum development and renovation of aging facilities to training equipment and invited training programs in Korea.
Shin Gyu-sik, honorary professor at Hanyang University ERICA and leader of the project, said, "We are focusing on helping local teachers effectively use the training equipment and software provided in actual classes," adding, "The key is to spread the skills they have learned throughout the educational field and raise the quality of vocational and technical education in Côte d'Ivoire."
Edme Mansilla, director of IPNETP, also assessed the project's achievements, saying, "So far, a total of 494 teachers have completed the program, including 347 in ICT teaching methods training, 48 in advanced master teacher training, and 99 in engineering major training."
Looking ahead, Hanyang University ERICA's Industry-Academia Cooperation Foundation plans to continue working with KOICA and local institutions to train 1,000 ICT teachers and 200 engineering teachers, while further expanding the global reach of Korea's technical education model.

[email protected] Kim Man-gi Reporter