- May 29th (Mon) 15:00~18:00, seminar room for Congress Hall
- Theme: Educational Collaboration strategies for achieving UN sustainable Development goals – Korean University case oriented
Handong Global University (President Chang Soon Heung) and Sookmyung University (President Kang Jung Ai) held UNESCO UNITWIN joint seminar on the topic of “UN sustainable educational collaboration strategies for achieving possible development goals – Korean University case oriented” in the 1st seminar room of Congress Hall at 3 o’clock on May 29th (Mon). This seminar was organized by Handong and Sookmyung University, and sponsored by the Ministry of Education. 63 people such as Handong University president Chang Soon Heung, member of a legislative assembly Ahn Min Seok, former minister Park Jae Yoon (Ministry of Finance & Trade, Industry and Energy) Minister of the Saint-Chan Taro Laos education, and former construction minister of the Ethiopian Education Mekuria Haile attended this seminar.
This seminar discussed the need for participation of higher education institutions to achieve sustainable development goals and the extension of existing Korean University education cooperation activities to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals. The Korean University developed a heated debate, chaired by the Secretary of the Treasury Department, in depth on the content of cooperation with higher education institutions in a developing country, know-how sharing, and the direction of the international development cooperative business through educational cooperation. UNESCO UNITWIN (University Twining and Networking) was designed by UNESCO in 1992 to support the developing world university education and research institutions, to reduce the knowledge gap, and to increase the self-reliance on developing countries. In Korea, Handong University was designated as the first UNITWIN-sponsored university in 2007. Sookmyung Women’s University was designated as a UNITWIN-sponsored university in 2014, and the Korean Broadcasting Communications university in 2017.
Handong University’s UNITWIN business is a part of the ODA business by the ministry of education. Handong University, focusing on low-income countries grouped by World Bank, have been promoting the university’s capacity by strengthening the leadership training and regional development initiatives, and building Regional centers in developing countries through agreement with developing countries appointed by the government. Handong University is currently helping 68 schools and institutions in 28 developing countries as of January 2017.
Sookmyung Women’s UNITWIN business aims to improve the perception of women’s competency in developing countries, to expand women’s competency and educational opportunity in developing countries through ICT and leadership education, to establish a qualitative improvement and self-reliance of higher educational institution, and to develop women’s human resources for contributing to the national, social, and economic development of developing countries. Asia Pacific Women’s Information Network Center (APWINC) of Sookmyung University has concluded the agreement with universities in developing country in the center of the Government’s strategic cooperation and Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), and is partnering 11 universities in 7 countries as of April 2017.
Investment in education in Korea is evaluated as the driving force of the Korean economic development from the poorest country to a donor country. This trend is continually increasing the demand for education development cooperation in developing countries. Accordingly, universities’ participation in international development and cooperation business of the government, such as the Ministry of education’s International Development Cooperation and Korea International Cooperation Agency’s Academy Cooperation Program, as a main participant or partner is also increasing. Handong University and Sookmyung Women’s University have contributed to the development of the developing country at the university stage and the ability to strengthen local universities has been high in Korea’s international phase. The result is highly regarded as a national contribution to the UNESCO UNITWIN University.
This collaborative seminar is meant to be deeply discussed with various perspectives about the role of South Korea’s higher education institutions for the development of higher education and the direction of development for educational development.
This seminar started with announcement of the theme of “Handong University’s UNITWIN business introduction and strategy (strengthening sustainable development capacity)” by Handong University professor Ahn Jin Won, and discussed about the educational cooperation for UN’s sustainable development goal achievement, presenting the contents of various topics such as “Sookmyung Women’s University’s UNITWIN business introduction (ICT and women’s right) by Sookmyung Women’s University professor Kim Myung Hee, ‘UNESCO UNITWIN and SDGs’ by UNESCO Beijing Office of education specialist Robert Parou, ‘The importance of partnership in higher education: the case of Handong UNITWIN for Ethiopia’ by the former construction minister of the Ethiopian Education Mekuria Haile, etc.
President of Handong University, Chang Soon Heung said, “Handong University as a UNESCO UNITWIN University in 2007 will actively participate in strengthening sustainable development capacity of higher education institution in developing countries and the development of ODA in Korean education with a long experience and accumulated knowledge in the international development area.
In addition, Ahn Min Seok, the member of Democratic party of Korea, said "he will actively promote and support the two universities’ results of contribution on strengthening capacity of developing countries through UNITWIN business and national development.”
