Leonardo Neves, a qualitative analyst at Fundação Getulio Vargas’ International Intelligence Unit (FGV NPII), has been invited to carry out a study on social policies’ importance for development policies in South Korea.

The study will take place through a fellowship program, which is aimed at specialists interested in improving their knowledge. The fellowship will allow Neves to spend some time at the Korean Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) in South Korea, a renowned international institution and an important Korean government research institute.

Neves’ work will result in a publication by the institute called “Leapfrogging Applied to Developing Countries: Making a Case for a Social Spring,” which will examine the importance of social policies for development policies. This is aligned with several other FGV NPII projects supported by international funders.

Obtaining this fellowship testifies to FGV NPII’s successful efforts to strengthen ties and create networks with Asian countries, including South Korea, which is particularly important in relation to various strategic sectors and technologies.

“Having the opportunity to be in South Korea to study development is fantastic, as it is one of only a handful of countries that have managed to make the transition from a developing country to a developed country,” Neves says. “Accordingly, Korea has many renowned experts who are dedicated to understanding this topic. Being in Korea will allows me to deepen our research and at the same time forge a more solid network with Korean specialists and institutions for FGV.”