Sookmyung University trains 110 ASEAN students in digital and entrepreneurship skills

Sookmyung Women's University is empowering 110 female students from Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam through a specialized training program focused on digital skills and entrepreneurship. The initiative, titled 'Women in Digital & Entrepreneurship (WiDE),' is being conducted by the university's Asia-Pacific Women's Information Network Center (APWINC) as part of UNESCO's UNITWIN program and the Ministry of Education's Official Development Assistance (ODA).

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Data analysis is a field I've always been interested in, and through this education, I was able to broaden my understanding of data analysis. Based on what I learned in this program, I want to enter the data analysis field in the future and achieve the career I dreamed of.

This year's program features a novel blended learning system. Students first build foundational digital and entrepreneurial knowledge through three weeks of online courses covering topics like Python programming and startup basics. This is followed by a week of intensive in-person training in their respective countries, with content customized to national industry needs. Laos focuses on agriculture, Cambodia on tourism, and Vietnam on digital and AI technologies.

Participants are expected to leverage this training to enhance their career prospects and explore startup opportunities. KAO SOKLENG, a student from the Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia, expressed enthusiasm for the data analysis training, stating, "Data analysis is a field I've always been interested in, and through this education, I was able to broaden my understanding of data analysis." She hopes to pursue a career in this area.

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The WiDE program's greatest strength is its practical, project-based training that applies AI and digital technologies. It is particularly meaningful in that female students can build confidence and leadership through team projects and enhance their employment competitiveness based on digital capabilities.

APWINC plans to continue supporting outstanding participants through October with follow-up career development activities. These will include industry field trips, meetings with local startup CEOs, and job counseling, aiming to create a sustainable cooperative network connecting education, industry, and career paths. Nguyen Van Thang, program coordinator at Quy Nhon University in Vietnam, highlighted the program's strength in applying AI and digital technologies to practical projects, boosting students' confidence, leadership, and employability.

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We will continue to provide ongoing support through practical training that reflects the industrial characteristics and educational needs of partner countries, so that students can acquire digital and entrepreneurial capabilities that can be utilized in the field and connect them to employment and entrepreneurship.