On 13–14 July, the University of Warsaw hosted representatives of the academic and diplomatic world from South Korea. Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, participated in meetings with the President of Chonnam National University, the Korean Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

On 13 July, Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, met with Dr Sungtaek Jung, President of Chonnam National University. The cooperation between the universities has been so far coordinated by the Faculty of Management of the University of Warsaw. In 2012, an agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) was signed between the UW Faculty of Management and the School of Business Administration of CNU, and in 2017, the then Dean of the Faculty of Management Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak signed an agreement on the implementation of a dual degree programme. During the meeting on 13 July, the existing agreements were prolonged and a decision was taken to extend the cooperation to the university-wide level. The signatories of the memorandum emphasised the role of technological facilities for jointly conducted research and teaching activities.

“Korean companies have spread rapidly in Poland in recent years, providing technologies that are extremely important for the development of universities. Therefore, we are even more pleased with the signed agreement,” said Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector.

“We have a long history of partnership with the University of Warsaw. We look forward to expanding the scope of our cooperation,” said Dr Sungtaek Jung, the President of Chonnam National University.

Minister’s visit

Part of the visit of the Korean delegation was a meeting attended by Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, and Park Bo Gyoon, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea. During the meeting, the importance of long-standing business, scientific and teaching cooperation was emphasised.

“Beauty, science and knowledge are values that are promoted everywhere in the world, in this case in Korea and Poland,” said the UW Rector.

Both the Rector and the Minister pointed out the role played by academic units – the departments of Polish Studies in Seoul and Korean Studies at the UW – in shaping positive relations between the countries.

Meeting with the President

In reference to the forthcoming anniversaries of the establishment of the Polish-Korean strategic partnership and the establishment of diplomatic relations, a meeting with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, was held at the University of Warsaw Library on 14 July. The meeting was attended by Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, Prof. Piotr Taracha, the Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the University of Warsaw, Dr Anna Paradowska, the Head of the Department of Korean Studies, and a group of Korean Studies students.

“This is an opportunity to thank the President for the fact that our students can be educated at Korean universities, as well as for the possibility of exchange and mobility of students and staff. South Korea has been known in Poland for business development since at least the 1970s. Recently, we have developed cooperation in, among other things, nuclear energy,” said Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the Rector of the UW.

“This year, the Department of Korean Studies at the UW is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Korean Studies researchers and students play an important role in strengthening relations between Poland and Korea. Korean Studies at the University of Warsaw hold a special place when it comes to cooperation between our countries,” said Yoon Suk Yeol, the President of the Republic of Korea.

During the meeting entitled “Cultural Chat with Young Poles”, led by Dr Anna Paradowska from the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the University of Warsaw, the President of the Republic of Korea had the opportunity to listen to the experiences of the Korean Studies students from the University of Warsaw, who talked about their studies, their interest in Korea and their plans for the future. Both the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the President of the Republic of Korea admitted that they were impressed by both the fluent Korean and the knowledge of their nation demonstrated by the students of the University of Warsaw.