Turning Saemul Undong into an academic discipline, fostering human resources for overcoming poverty, utilization of the YU global network

New model for industry-academic cooperation with public and private sectors... Pursuing ‘Saemaul international development’

  At the MOU signing ceremony held at the 3rd floor main conference room at the main building of YU on the 10th at 2 p.m. were present YU President CHOI Oe-chool, Vice-president of Management and Strategy Lee Hwan-beom, International Development and Cooperation Center Director Kim Gi-soo, Park Chung-hee School of Policy and Saemaul Dean Lee Hee-wook, and Communication Cooperation Office Director Heo Chang-deok, while Saemaul Undong Center Chairman Yeon Hong-cheol and Secretary General Kim Seok-jin.

  With this MOU, the two institutes agreed to cooperate in areas like ▲fostering human resources to overcome poverty in developing countries ▲development of joint projects linking local industries and local innovative growth ▲cooperation to realize carbon neutrality ▲support for operation and management of Saemaul Undong clubs at universities ▲participation of college students related to domestic and overseas Saemaul Undong volunteer activities ▲research related to education and academics and support and participation in events, etc..

  The Saemaul Undong that pursued under the leadership of the government in the 1970s contributed in the development of local communities through various pan-national movements such as economic recovery movements to overcome economic difficulties, life movement for practicing carbon neutrality, etc. focusing on the lifestyle reform movement and community movements by switching to be led by the private sector in the 1980s.

  YU has been taking the lead to systemize the Saemaul Undong into an academic discipline to foster experts in Saemaul and international development, while helping the Saemaul Undong to settle down as a major development policy for developing countries. As YU has become a global education and research hub university for expanding Saemaul Undong to expand into a model for overcoming global poverty, this work MOU with the Korea Saemaul Undong Center will not only expand the global Saemaul Undong, but also contribute to upgrading Korea in the international society.

  YU has entered a work MOU for supporting companies to enter foreign countries using the global Saemaul human resource network and the globalization of Saemaul together with the Daegu Chamber of Commerce back in August. It is receiving attention as a new type of industry-academic cooperation that pioneers overseas markets for companies using a global network constructed by the university.

  YU President CHOI Oe-chool said, “When the education and research assets in the Saemaul international development sector and its global network constructed by YU are used to pursue cooperative projects in different parts of society with public organizations, companies, etc., Korea will be able to broaden its role as a developed country.” He further commented, “Cooperative projects pursued by various institutes and companies including the Korea Saemaul Undong Center will become a model case for the Saemaul international development project.”

  YU has been practicing the spirit of sharing, serving and creating, while taking the lead to foster human resources who can contribute to human society. A total of 4,000 public employees and private sector personnel from 79 countries were cultivated into Saemaul international development experts and regional development experts through the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul and the International Development Cooperation Center. They are currently active all around the world as Saemaul international development and local development experts.