The Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations to Become the Center of Academic Exchange Between SNU and the University of Tehran

According to the Office of International Affairs, SNU exchanged students with 96 universities in 27 different countries in 2009. Among these universities, SNU exchanges many students with universities in Germany, the US and Japan. Some of the other universities that SNU sends its students to are in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, France, Spain, Sweden, Canada and Hong Kong. It seems that SNU’s endeavor to interact with foreign universities doesn’t stop there though. The University of Tehran in Iran will be added to the list of universities with which SNU has agreed to exchange students.

Delegates from the University of Tehran visited SNU on October 27 to discuss the expansion of academic exchange between the two universities. The main focus of the discussions was the Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations that SNU is planning to establish by next year.

The Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations will offer courses on the Persian language as well as Persian literature and history. SNU has requested from the University of Tehran recommendations of excellent professors in the relevant fields. Also, SNU President Oh Yeon-Cheon made a proposal to the University of Tehran regarding a joint annual conference. SNU and the University of Tehran have agreed to cooperate in various ways such as exchanging professors and students, conducting joint research and co-hosting symposiums. UT President Farhad Rahbar donated two Modern Iranian Dictionaries and CDs to the SNU Library in commemoration of his visit to SNU.

Those who were present at the meeting were Oh Yeon-Cheon (president of SNU), Byun Chang-Ku (dean of the College of Humanities at SNU), Kim Jun-Ki (dean of the Office of International Affairs), Farhad Rahbar (president of the University of Tehran), Hassan Assadi (head of the Office of International Affairs at the University of Tehran) and Ahmed Masoumifar (Iranian ambassador to Korea).

The University of Tehran is to Iran what SNU is to Korea. It was founded in 1889 and is the most prestigious university in Iran. The history of advanced education in Iran began with the establishment of this university. Today, the University of Tehran not only plays a major role in the education of its younger generation but also conducts research in various fields, thereby contributing to many sectors in the society.

Currently, SNU students only have the chance to learn briefly about the religions of Iran when listening to lectures in religious studies classes. Hopefully, SNU’s agreement with the University of Tehran and the establishment of the Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations will bring many new opportunities for students to learn much more thoroughly about Iran.

Written by JANG Hyo Jeong, SNU English Editor, fatalbonds@snu.ac.kr  ?
Reviewed by Eli Park Sorensen, SNU Professor of Liberal Studies, eps7257@snu.ac.kr
Proofread by Brett Johnson, SNU English Editor, morningcalm2@gmail.com