The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has partnered with the World Bank to launch a major initiative designed to boost youth employment and modernize social protection systems across East Africa through digital innovation. The three-year program, titled “Enhancing Youth Employment Policies through Digital Technologies,” will operate in Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
The initiative is jointly spearheaded by Professor Kyung Ryul Park of KAIST’s Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy, John Van Dyck, Director of the World Bank’s Social Protection and Labor Global Practice, and Yoon Young Cho, Senior Economist at the World Bank. Funded through the Korea–World Bank Partnership Facility (KWPF), the project has a budget of approximately KRW 1.4 billion (USD 980,000) and will continue through 2028.
At its core, the program aims to help East African governments transition from manual, paper-based social protection systems to AI-enabled, data-driven digital registries. These modernized systems are expected to improve transparency and accuracy in public service delivery while enhancing the efficiency of employment-related programs.
Beyond technological upgrades, the collaboration will also examine deeper social and policy issues emerging in digital labor markets, such as algorithmic discrimination, ethical governance of AI, and the risk of widening inequalities. Insights from the project will feed into World Bank studies and policy briefs intended to guide global best practices for inclusive digital transformation.
South Korea, widely recognized for its robust digital governance model, is expected to offer practical knowledge on building resilient and citizen-centered digital systems. This experience will support East African governments as they design inclusive, sustainable, and data-oriented labor and social protection structures.
To strengthen local capacity, the KAIST Global Center for Development and Strategy (G-CODEs) will host two international workshops alongside the Korea Development Institute (KDI), Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor, and the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kenya-AIST). These sessions will give East African officials hands-on exposure to digital policy tools, while offering KAIST students and researchers field-based learning opportunities in global development.
The initiative officially began with a kickoff workshop held during the World Bank Annual Meetings earlier this month. Participants included Professors Kyung-Ryul Park and Seok-Kyun Woo, Dean Ji-Yong Eom of the Graduate School of Green Growth and Sustainability, Researcher Seung-Hyun Kim, and Consultant Ji-Su Sim.
World Bank Director John Van Dyck described the partnership as “an innovative effort to digitally integrate youth employment programs with social protection systems,” emphasizing its role in helping East African countries build sustainable digital labor infrastructure.
Senior Economist Yoon Young Cho noted that the project prioritizes government-led, long-term digital solutions, aiming to strengthen both youth employment opportunities and social inclusion.
Professor Kyung-Ryul Park added that the collaboration represents a meaningful opportunity for KAIST to contribute to inclusive development across East Africa while equipping students with real-world international cooperation experience.
