KF뉴스레터-Continued Promotion of Korean Studies in North America

Continued Promotion of Korean Studies in North America

The Foundation’s Advisory Committee for North America convened a session to evaluate applications for 2009 program support from universities in the U.S. and Canada. In addition, the advisory committee members offered suggestions for improvement of the Foundation’s various support programs.

The Korea Foundation organized a meeting of its North American Advisory Committee, comprised of distinguished Korean Studies scholars, which was held at the Center for Korean Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa (November 1, 2008). The session was convened to thoroughly evaluate a total of 33 applications for 2009 support that had been submitted by universities in North America. Along with serving as a meaningful occasion to interact with various Korea-related scholars, the gathering also enabled the Foundation to better understand recent developments of Korean Studies programs in the U.S., and to formulate a support strategy tailored to the particular ives of recipient institutions.
The Center for Korean Studies of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the host of the 2008 meeting, is a leading institute that has emerged at the forefront of Korean Studies in the United States since its establishment in 1972. Designed after Geunjeongjeon, the main hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, the center’s building stands as the symbol of a Korean palace and a representative example of Korea’s traditional architecture in Hawaii. As such, the University of Hawaii boasts a long history of promoting Korean Studies.

ive Evaluation
To follow up on the individual assessments prepared by each of the advisory committee members, the gathering provided an opportunity to clarify any questions and to assure the ivity and fairness of the evaluation process. Moreover, the feedback and input of these Korean Studies specialists are vital to the Foundation’s efforts to improve the effectiveness of its assistance programs.
During the morning session, Director Park Kyoungchul of the Korean Studies Department presented a summary of the Foundation’s programs and activities in 2008 and the budget plans for 2009.
Thereafter, each program application was carefully evaluated. As for the committee members, there were no signs of any jet lag, despite their transpacific flight, as they explained their views in considerable detail. For those matters for which there was a diversity of opinion, the relevant issues were discussed until a consensus was reached.

More Effective Assistance
In the afternoon session, discussion was focused on ways to upgrade the Foundation’s Korean Studies support programs. Overall, committee members advised the Foundation to provide more extensive assistance to universities with the proven ability to secure matching commitments, and to encourage the establishment of endowment programs to assure a continuous source of support, rather than extending aid for one-time projects.
As for assistance to establish faculty positions, the Foundation implements two initiatives: an endowment program to support a professorship position, and a grant program that subsidizes the costs of a faculty position for a certain period of time, after which the recipient university is required to assume the related costs. In general, it was recommended that the Foundation should promote a grant-type program, in light of its financial constraints.
The advisory committee also expressed concern about the Foundation’s post-doctoral fellowship program, under which support recipients receive aid to refine and publish their doctoral dissertation.
However, members noted that although it was positive to help fellows publish their dissertations, there were questions about the extent to which this process would contribute to their appointment to an appropriate Korea-related position. While carefully considering the insightful observations of the committee members about the status of Korean Studies in North America, the Foundation staff pledged to put forth concerted efforts to administer its support programs in the most effective and efficient possible manner. Although circumstances vary from region to region, the development of Korean Studies in North America provides instructive lessons for the Foundation’s worldwide promotion of this discipline.

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Continued Promotion of Korean Studies in North America

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Continued Promotion of Korean Studies in North America

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