■ Institute of EU Studies Signs MOU with the Korean Maritime Industries (MacNet)

HUFS Institute of EU Studies (Director Kim Bong-chul) signed an MOU with the Korean Maritime Industries (MacNet) in Nov. 2020.

The main purpose of the MOU is to define the realm of cooperation on various matters in which the specializations of each institute are optimized. From now on, the two institutes will cooperate on matters related to European maritime research, exchange of research data, industry-academia-government joint projects, and other educational, academic, and maritime business-related matters. Joint policy research and joint technology R&D projects are also planned.

■ Yunus Emre Institute and Center for Historical Astronomy Sign MOU and Hold Academic Conference

HUFS Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Institute (Director Oh Jong-jin) and the Korea Astronomy & Space Science Institute’s Center for Historical Astronomy (Director Kim Sang-hyuk) signed an MOU and held an academic conference from Oct. 29, 2020, to Oct. 30, 2020, at the Jeju Shinhwa World Marriott Resort. Through the MOU, the two institutes agreed on joint research, academic exchange, and customized research support for astronomical research in Korea and Turkey.

Yunus Emre Institute Director Oh Jong-jin said that Korean and Turkish astronomers will start on joint projects with research grants as soon as the COVID-19 situation subsides.

After the MOU signing, the two institutes held an international mini workshop on the topic of “Joseon and Islam Scientific Technology Exchange Research.” The participants were HUFS professors Oh Jong-jin, Lee Ji-eun, Rovshan Ibrahimov, Gouda Moamen, and Hanafy Shima and Myongji University Professor Ahn Jung-kuk gave a presentation on astronomical research in the Islam region; the Korea Astronomy & Space Science Institute Researchers Kim Sang-hyuk, Min Byung-hee, and Yonsei University Professor Lee Eun-hee gave a presentation on the astronomical research exchanges between Joseon and Islam. Furthermore, the presenters shared their ideas on the past, present, and future astronomical research partnerships in Korea and the Islam region.

■ Center of International Area Studies Research HK+ Project Team Signs MOU with Joara

HUFS Center of International Area Studies Research HK+ Project Team (Director Kang Jun-yeong) signed an MOU with Joara (CEO Lee Soo-hee), a web novel platform business, at the Minerva Complex International Conference Room in Oct. 2020.

Through the MOU, the project team plans to provide market research, business-related findings, and information on area of interests in the Eurasian region to Joara, which will expand its business model in the overseas market based on the cooperation.

The MOU signing came from the project team’s research agenda, which is “Transnational Cooperation and Communication: Northern Culture Contact and Culture Hub for Creating Unified Environment.” During the research process, the project team saw an opportunity for synergy effect with Joara’s web novel platform. There are plans for a global platform business idea and a joint venture will begin when a scenario is confirmed.

Meanwhile, Joara launched a global app in North America and India in 2018 and is expanding into the overseas market with MOUs for web novels for content providers in Thailand and Indonesia.

■ Center for the Promotion of Critical Foreign Language Education signs MOU with Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Institute

HUFS Center for the Promotion of Critical Foreign Language Education (Director Ko Tae-jin) signed an MOU with HUFS Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Institute (Director Oh Jong-jin) at the Institute of Teaching and Learning Development Building on the Seoul Campus in Oct. 2020. The MOU signaled the start of an organic cooperation between the two institutes with various customized joint programs.

Before the signing of the MOU, the Center provided free basic Turkish online lessons for the general public (70 people) with the Turkish Institute for 6 weeks, from Aug. 4 to Sept. 10. Beginning in October, the Center operated an exchange program in Turkey for university students with the goal of producing critical foreign language experts. However, due to the COVID-19 situation, instead of sending students to Turkey as planned, online classes from Turkish university curriculums will be provided. In addition, Turkish cultural experiences developed by the Turkish Institute will be provided to the students.

Director Oh said the MOU will provide various opportunities for Turkish educational programs, and that the two institutes will work together to spread the Turkish language in Korea. To this, Director Ko said the MOU will help the Center stand at the forefront of language and cultural education as part of a national strategy.

HUFS Center for the Promotion of Critical Foreign Language Education was created with the support from the Ministry of Education and the National Institute for International Education by to the Act on the Promotion of Critical Foreign Language Education. Besides Turkish, the Center operates educational programs for the general public in 11 languages: Mongolian, Swahili, Uzbek, Persian, Malay-Indonesian, Thai, Portuguese, Polish, Hungarian, and Hindi. Detailed information can be found at http://cfl.ac.kr/.