(Photo1) 2019 Participants in the joint seminar on UNESCO UNITWIN

  Handong Global University (President Chang Soon-Heung) and Sookmyung Women's University (President Kang Jung-ae) held a joint seminar on the UNESCO UNITWIN under the theme of "Strengthening cooperation in higher education in UNESCO to achieve UN SDGs" at the 2nd seminar room of the National Assembly Hall from 10 a.m. on April 25^th. The seminar was sponsored by the Education Ministry, held by Handong Global University and Sookmyung Women's University and co-hosted by Rep. Park Byeong-Seok and Rep. Park Yong-jin.

About 40 people attended the seminar including, President Chang Soon-heung of Handong Global University, Vice President Sung Mi-kyung of Sookmyung Women's University, Park Byung-suk, a member of the National Assembly's foreign affairs and unification committee, Choi Eun-hee, director general of the international cooperation bureau of the Education Ministry, Kim Kwang-ho, secretary general of UNESCO's Korean Committee, Ronnie Baki, assistant secretary of science and technology at Papua New Guinea, Andrew Yamanea, ambassador to Korea Papua New Guinea, Sanja Balkaba, chairman of the Jafhang State Council of Mongolia, Ishwari Dakal, president of the University of Agriculture and Forestry in Nepal, Sien Emtotem, president of Batambang University in Cambodia, Hermann Chavez, president of the Catholic University of Sao Paulo, Uzbek Rustam Abdurofov, dean of the National Graduate School of Business and Business Administration, The seminar had meaningful discussion about the need for participation of higher education institutions to achieve the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, the possibilities of Korean universities' educational cooperation activities contributing to the goal of sustainable development, and the ways to strengthen educational cooperation among higher education institutes in each country.

"This seminar was organized to discuss the direction and strategies that developed and developing countries should work together in higher education to solve the global community's common task of sustainable development," said Chang Soon-Heung, president of Handong Global University, in his opening speech. Sung Mi-Kyung, vice president of Sookmyung Women's University, delivered the opening speech, "We will share the achievements and lessons we have gained in carrying out the UNESCO Unit Win project through this seminar, and we will work together on strengthening the competence of higher education institutions through sharing various educational cooperation cases and exchanging opinions."

Rep. Park Byung-Seok of Democratic Party of Korea said in his congratulatory speech, "The United Nations UNITWIN Program is a program that strengthens the ability to solve problems faced by partner countries and trains people that will be a driving force for development. As Handong Global University and Sookmyung Women's University have done so far, I hope these colleges will continue to take the lead in fostering international leaders responsible for sustainable development through close exchanges with partner countries."

(Photo2) 2019 Joint Seminar on UNESCO’s UNITWIN

During the presentation, Ronnie Baki, assistant secretary of state for higher education and science at Papua New Guinea, announced the government's 2017-2038 plan to strengthen higher education in Papua New Guinea under the theme of "Papua New Guinea's Higher Education Plan to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals," and referred to the need for cooperation with Korea's higher education institutions in various areas. Also, Ishwari Takal, president of the University of Agriculture, Forestry and Forest in Nepal, during his presentation about, "Internationalization of Agricultural Education, the Status of Higher Education in Nepal, and Cooperation Measures in Korea," stressed the need for education development utilizing diverse networks to ensure that the qualitative growth of education is directly linked to the country's economic growth, especially in countries where agriculture is centered. In addition, speakers from Cambodia, Peru, Uzbekistan, and other countries shared their effort to overcome the limitations of their situation through UNITWIN cooperation to achieve the UN's goal of sustainable development and expressed what areas each country wants to further enhance cooperation in the future.

 After the presentations, professors from Handong Global University and Sookmyung Women's University took time to ask each speaker in developing countries how to contribute to achieving the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals, including how to provide equal educational opportunities, strategies to enhance actual educational methods, develop curriculums, and train education participants. Commenting on the limitations of the educational system they have, the need for field experience and ways to develop international curriculums, the speakers expressed their hope that knowledge sharing and networking will continue to be achieved through cooperation with UNITWIN-sponsored universities to meet their limitations and needs.

 The seminar is meaningful in that it covered the role of institutions of higher education in Korea as donor countries for the development of higher education in developing countries and ways to enhance the role and effectiveness of institutions of higher education in recipient countries.

* UNITWIN (University Twining and Networking) is a program established by UNESCO in 1992 with the aim of helping universities and research institutes in developing countries through networks with universities in developing countries to reduce knowledge gaps and foster self-reliance capabilities in developing countries. In Korea, Handong Global University was designated as Korea's first UNITWIN university in 2007.

- As part of the ODA project of the Ministry of Education, Handong Global University has been promoting the enhancement of university capabilities, training of leaders and regional development projects by signing agreements with universities in developing countries with the focus of the government among low-income countries classified by the World Bank and establishing regional hub centers in developing countries. Handong Global University is currently helping 78 universities and institutions in 30 developing countries (as of December 18).

* The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an agenda adopted by the United Nations in 2016 as the "Agenda 2030" to be completed by 2030. For "Leave No One Behind," 17 goals are included, including ▲ending poverty ▲ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns ▲ achieving gender equality and enhancing the rights and interests of all women and girls.

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