ICFO Scholarship Programme
The International Co-operative Fisheries Organisation (ICFO) has been receiving applications for ‘ICFO Scholarship Student’, an initiative desiged to nurture talents in fisheries around the world.
In January 2014 ICFO and Pukyong National University concluded a memorandum of understanding on co-operation for nurturing talent in the field of fisheries. The event was attended by a number of co-operators, including Mr Lee Jong-koo, ICFO chairman. Mr Kim Young-seup, president of Pukyong National University was also present at the signing of the memorandum, which took place at Pukyong National University in Busan, Korea.
The program will select two students from ICFO member countries, who had completed university education in fisheries or fisheries-related fields. ICFO offers scholarship benefits such as airfare and boarding expenses including living expenses, and the tuition fee for the 2-year graduate course in fisheries will be fully funded by ICFO.
Last year, Samek Shrestha (male, 24) from Nepal and Heny Aprianita (female, 23) from Indonesia won the ICFO Scholarship Program under the memorandum of understanding to foster talent in the field of fisheries between the ICFO and Pukyong National University in Korea.
Shrestha and Aprianita, the first scholarship awardees, entered graduate school at Pukyong National University in September 2014. Pukyong National University and the ICFO fully covered boarding expenses as well as tuition for the two year master course.
Any college graduates who majored in fisheries or fisheries-related fields can apply for the scholarship program with recommendation from a head of member of ICFO or of an organisation applying for membership of ICFO. Applications must be submitted via email (newyork1@suhyup.co.kr) and in hard copy to the ICFO Secretariat at 14th floor, Owl Tower, 342, Olympic-Street, Songpa-Gu, Seoul, 138-287, Republic of Korea by April 30, 2015.
Application materials and detailed information can be found at http://www.icfo.coop and further enquires can be directed to ICFO (Email:newyork1@suhyup.co.kr/ Tel: 82-2-2240-0425).
The Korean Fisheries Co-operatives’ Business Knowledge
Sharing Programme
In human history, fisheries have been a key to sustaining human lives by providing animal protein. But the world’s fisheries are confronting an unprecedented crisis caused by rapid population growth, a dramatic decrease in fisheries resources, an increase in maritime pollution, and global warming due to industrialisation.
However, fisheries in the future will become growth engines, as many experts expect a brighter future for the industry. In order to realize this, the fishing industry must share its expertise and experiences among fisheries co-operatives worldwide. Accordingly, ICFO has offered education and training programs to fishermen across the world.
In line with this, ICFO invited 12 fishermen from the Co-operative Union of the Philippines in 2011 and 13 fishermen from the Vietnam Co-operative Alliance in 2012, and 13 fishermen from the National Federation of Indonesian Fishermen’s Co-operative Society in 2013.
In 2014, the ICFO invited 13 fishermen and fisheries co-operators from FISHCOPFED to share the expertise and experiences of Korean fisheries co-operatives and the fishing industry from 19 - 29 November. The Secretariat of ICFO entrusted the education to the Overseas Fisheries Cooperation Center at Pukyong National University to provide world-class education. Pukyong National University has greatly contributed to the development of the Korean fishing industry.
They had the opportunity to consult for major businesses which have played important roles in the Korean fishing industry and for Korean fishermen: Co-operative Insurance, Mutual Credit, Exchanges between Cities and Fishing Villages, Safe Fishing Operation Support, Consignment Sales, Tax-exempt Oil Supply and Fisheries Funds, etc. They were also provided with lectures on Korean fisheries: World Cultivation & Organic Cultivation, Fishing Gear Design & Operations, Fisheries Economics & Management, etc.
They visited various fisheries facilities, such as aquaculture farms, fish processing factories, Gyeongsangnam-Do Fisheries Resources Research Institute and Busan Co-operative Fish Market in Busan and Tonyoung city. These cities have played major roles in the Korean fishing industry.
Picture: ICFO youth co-operators
