University of Hong Kong offers Korean studies major

The University of Hong Kong has become the first to offer a Korean studies major in Hong Kong, according to the Korea Foundation.

The prestigious university is offering the major under the School of Modern Languages and Cultures starting this month, through an online program provided by the foundation.

The foundation provides lectures through the “KF Global e-School,” an online program for the promotion of Korean studies.

The university had Korean studies as a minor for three years, but due to the lack of faculty to teach the subject, it had been unable to develop it into a major degree.

The online program was set up last year by the foundation as part of a move to promote Korean studies overseas. Universities in the nation and those abroad have established partnerships and Korean studies lectures taught in Korea are being delivered not only online but also through lectures in person by visiting professors.

Workshops on the courses are also being hosted here, in which faculty members from overseas universities take part.

The online lectures are highly interactive, as the students in the classroom at the University of Hong Kong are able to view the professor teaching at the Korean university as well as the students, and also vice versa.

Students in Hong Kong and Korea have been carrying out joint group projects for courses and have been developing amicable relationships, leading to further exchanges between them. Students from Hong Kong have been coming to visit Seoul since taking the course offered by the e-School.

The University of Hong Kong became a partner with Ewha Womans University and starting this semester, students majoring in Korean studies will take two online courses titled “Introduction to Korean Media and Culture” and “The Korean Economy,” taught by professors at Ewha.

“The content of the Korean studies courses offered by the e-School have been outstanding and therefore students have expressed high satisfaction with them,” said Lee Kang-soon, the Korean program director and language instructor at the university.

“If it hadn’t been for the e-School, it would have been difficult to have Korean studies established as a major,” she said.

Through the e-School program, 126 Korean studies courses are being taught at 58 universities in 22 countries this year. In 2011, the Higher School of Economics in Russia established a Korean studies major at its school due to the online program.

The Korea Foundation has been actively pursuing the promotion of Korean studies. Last month, it invited a group of university presidents, researchers at think tanks and government officials from around the world to discuss prospects of furthering Korean studies at their respective institutions. <The Korea Times/Kim Bo-eun>

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