YU embodies 'Glocal Initiative' where various religions and cultures coexist.
The center is Selected as university that offers preliminary courses for the Saudi 'King Abdullah Scholarships'
[September 18, 2012]
The nation's first Arab Cultural Center was opened at YU on the 18th.
(fourth from left is director of the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission, Alayyar). YU (president Lee, Hyo-soo) installed the nation's first 'Arab Cultural Center'.
On the afternoon of the 18th, the Arab Cultural Center was opened on B1 of the YU International Center to accelerate change of campus where various religions and cultures coexist.
For the first time for a university in the region, YU signed an exchange agreement with the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (director Turki Fahad Alayyar) in March of last year to establish a bridgehead to enter the Middle Eastern region. In August, an MOU was signed for technical and vocational training with the Saudi Arabian Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, in its efforts to secure more active exchange with the Arab region.
In result, the current number of Arabian students enrolled in YU is 12, with 11 being from Saudi Arabia and one from Tunisia. This is the most among local universities. They attended this event and happily welcomed the opening of the center. Fahad Faisal Al Ahmadi (23, freshman in School of Mechanical Engineering) from Saudi Arabia said, "I am really thankful to the university who payed such special attention to us." He added, "I hope that various cultural events will be held that can remove the erroneous preconceptions of the Arab world and to enjoy the Arabian history and culture."
YU President Lee, Hyo-soo also stated in a speech, "
There are over 1,300 international students from 42 different countries studying at YU, so YU is
true 'Glocal Initiative' where various languages, cultures and religions coexist at the campus." He added, "I hope that the Arab Cultural Center will be one of the mainstays of the 'Glocal Initiative'."
A special guest was present at the event as well. Director of the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission, Turki Fahad Alayyar, who is in charge of the non-government exchange between Korea and Saudi Arabia also visited to congratulate the opening of this center. At this event, he stated, "I have never seen such a beautiful campus like YU's that gives such as comfortable feeling anywhere in the world," and added, "Since the Arab Cultural Center will first open in Korea at YU, I hope that exchange with Saudi Arabia will become more active using YU as a base."
In early September, the National International Exchange Center selected YU and Kyunghee University for universities operating preliminary courses for the King Abdullah Scholarships. Only YU and Kyunghee University will be able to accept King Abdullah Scholarship students.
'King Abdullah Scholarships' are students who receive national funding according to the Saudi Arabia government's development plans of human resources. There are currently about 100,000 students studying in undergraduate and graduate schools in the world's top 200 universities listed in the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission's website. Since signing the educational exchange agreement between the Korean and Saudi Arabian government in March, 2007, about 140 students were sent to Korea, of which most studied in the Seoul area. However, with YU being selected as a university that offers preliminary courses for King Abdullah Scholarships, it is expected that the number of Arabian students will grow in this area as well.
Meanwhile, starting in 2003 with an Egyptian student enrolling at the Graduate School of Mechanical Engineering, a total of 95 Muslim students are enrolled as of September 2012. In 2009, YU installed a separate space for prayer within the campus in order to focus on globalization while respecting religious diversity and cultural diversity.
In addition, by attracting 'American Center', 'China Research Center', and 'YU-EU Center' supported by EU before installing 'Arab Cultural Center'. YU embodies 'Glocal Initiative' including Anglo-American World, the Arab world and Chinese world.
