UNSW regional leader Korean studies
UNSW is to become the leading research and education hub for Korean studies in Oceania and South East Asia, after being officially endorsed by the Korean government.The endorsement involves a grant of $1.5 million over five years to UNSW’s Korea-Australasia Research Centre (KAREC).
The Korean Ministry of Education and the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS) has given funding and official recognition to only four overseas universities. The three others are UCLA, University of London and the University of Washington, Seattle.
KAREC is jointly located in the Faculties of Commerce and Economics (FCE) and Arts and Social Sciences and has been led by Associate Professor Chung-Sok Suh, from FCE’s School of Organisation and Management, since its inception in 2000.
“KAREC has established extensive networks for Korean studies covering Oceania and Southeast Asia,” said Dr Deok-hong Yoon, the President of AKS and a former Minister for Education and Deputy Prime Minister. “KAREC and UNSW have demonstrated leadership in Korean studies in the region, and we expect them to strengthen it through this grant.”
The funding is for four major research areas: International Business, Culture and the Culture Industry, Public Sector Reform and Korean Language Education and Humanities.
Research projects will involve scholars from six countries: Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Korea, in collaboration with the major universities in the region such as Chulalongkorn University, University of Malaya, University of Indonesia and Vietnam National University.
“This will consolidate the research networks between academia, industry and government in the region, with UNSW at the centre of the regional research hub,” said Professor Chung-Sok Suh.
Professor John Ingleson and the Centre’s Director, Associate Professor Chung-Sok Suh, will fly to Korea on 16 August to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Korean government.
source:unsw.edu.au