Soongsil University has signed a memorandum of understanding with Azerbaijan University of Languages to expand academic cooperation. The agreement focuses on utilizing K-MOOC for traditional Korean arts and culture and enhancing scholarly exchanges in Korean studies. The signing took place on February 3 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Soongsil University's Institute of Korean Studies signed a memorandum of understanding with Azerbaijan University of Languages on February 3 in Baku. The pact aims to promote Korean studies through expanded academic cooperation, particularly by incorporating Korea's Massive Open Online Course (K-MOOC) focused on traditional Korean arts and culture.
K-MOOC, operated by Korea’s National Institute for Lifelong Education, is an online platform offering high-quality university-level courses accessible worldwide, with certificate options upon completion. It features thousands of courses spanning humanities, science, technology, and arts.
Under the agreement, the institutions will jointly utilize K-MOOC content, co-host international conferences and seminars on Korean studies, operate programs together at the Korean Studies Center of Azerbaijan University of Languages, and pursue other mutually agreed academic initiatives.
The signing ceremony included Kamal Abdulla, rector of Azerbaijan University of Languages, and Cha Bong-jun, director of Soongsil University's Institute of Korean Studies, along with officials from both sides. Abdulla stated, “The partnership will help position the university’s Korean Studies Center as a hub for Korean language education and Korean studies research in Azerbaijan.”
Cha noted that the cooperation is significant for advancing the shared goal of promoting Korean studies research. He added, “This agreement will help strengthen the framework for expanding educational content in traditional Korean arts and culture overseas.”
Soongsil University's Institute of Korean Studies is implementing the K-Academic Expansion Research Project through 2028 and is developing and operating 10 K-MOOC courses related to traditional Korean arts.