Empowerment and Global Leadership Development through ODA-Supported Higher Education in Korea: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Alumni Outcomes

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study investigates the developmental and diplomatic effects of Official Development Assistance (ODA)-supported higher education, examining how international scholarship programs enhance individual capacity, institutional reform, and global cooperation. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study analyzes survey data from 354 international alumni and in-depth interviews with 26 graduates of ODA-supported programs in Korea. At the individual level, capacity building, institutional capacity, career advancement, relationship building, and transformational leadership were examined as predictors of overall satisfaction. At the global level, empowerment, global mindset, governance capacity, international cooperation, global citizenship, and global competency were analyzed as determinants of leadership effectiveness. Results indicate that relationship building and empowerment were the strongest predictors of satisfaction and leadership effectiveness, respectively. Engagement with Korea further reinforced positive perceptions of the host country, revealing soft-diplomacy spillover effects. The findings show that ODA-supported higher education serves as a strategic mechanism for enhancing professional development and institutional capacity while fostering sustainable international cooperation and global leadership. The study empirically confirms that ODA-supported higher education contributes to sustainable development.