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Baker Center Seeks Partnerships with Universities in Japan and South Korea

by Savannah Hall

Global Security Director Dr. Krista Wiegand, as part of a UT delegation led by the Center for Global Engagement (CGE), recently visited universities in Japan and South Korea.

The delegation included Vice Provost Gretchen Neisler, Director of the Office of Asia Engagement Rachel Rui, and chair of the Japanese Studies Program, Dr. Noriko Horiguchi, and in Japan, they visited seven universities all over the country, from Osaka to Hokkaido, in a single week. At every stop, Dr. Wiegand discussed the Baker Center and Sen. Baker’s service as the U.S. ambassador to Japan.

All audiences were very familiar with the Ambassador’s name and had a positive impression of him even today – and that has carried over to the Baker Center too. Several schools were interested in hosting a potential study abroad program. Waseda University in Tokyo is particularly interested in partnering with the Center for faculty exchanges, research collaboration and other initiatives.

In South Korea, Dr. Wiegand, joined by Dr. Sojeong Lee and Dr. Wonjae Hwang, both Global Security Fellows at the Baker Center, traveled to Jeju Island for a joint research workshop and a signing ceremony for an unofficial memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Center and Jeju Peace Institute (JPI). That partnership will include future research collaboration between scholars at the Baker Center and JPI. The delegation plans to return to Jeju Island in the fall for another workshop.

The delegation was then hosted by Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies(YINKS) at Yonsei University in Seoul. A second signing ceremony took place with an unofficial MOU for a research collaboration partnership and joint workshops between YINKS and the Center. The UT delegation presented a lecture about academic journal publishing to faculty and students from universities across Seoul. Dr. Wiegand also participated in university visits coordinated through CGE with Rachel Rui and Dr. Moonhee Cho, associate professor in the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations.

CONTACT:

David Smith (David_Smith@utk.edu)