The World Buddhist Studies Conference, First Held in Korea

Held at Seoul National University from 15th to 19th
Over 350 scholars from 36 countries participating

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] The world's largest international Buddhist academic conference, the "International Association of Buddhist Studies (IABS)," will be held at Seoul National University from the 15th to the 19th. This is the first time it is being hosted in Korea.

The conference will be held both online and offline. Over 350 scholars from 36 countries around the world will participate.

Participants include Professor Rupert Gethin, author of "The Fundamentals of Buddhism," the most widely used Buddhist studies textbook in Western university liberal arts courses; Jan Westerhoff, regarded as the top Buddhist scholar in the UK; and Jacqueline Stone, a Princeton University professor in the United States, famous for her work on "Bonggak Thought." Professors Jinah Kim, Jinyoung Park, Hwansu Kim, and Junyoung Ahn, all Korean-born scholars active in the US, will also attend.

The International Association of Buddhist Studies is the largest academic organization for Buddhist studies, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, with participation from Buddhist scholars worldwide. It publishes the "Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies" twice a year. The association's president is Professor Juhyung Lee of Seoul National University.