Honam University Holds Convergence Research Community Workshop and Signs MOU

The Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences at Honam University held a joint workshop on the 19th and 20th at Yonsei University Future Campus under the theme "Exploring Convergent Research Methods for a Sustainable Society," in collaboration with the BK21 Education Research Group of the Department of Education and Humanities Cooperation at Kangwon National University, the School Comprehensive Safety Research Institute of the Humanities and Social Science Research Support Project at Dongguk University Education Research Institute, the International Development Research Institute on Poverty at Yonsei University, the Multicultural Convergence Research Institute at Inha University, and the BK21 Glocal Multicultural Education Research Group.

This workshop, titled "2023 Convergent Research Community Workshop for a Sustainable Society," brought together over 40 researchers from various fields including philosophy, literature, linguistics, sociology, education, international relations, and social welfare to share creative perspectives and inquiries, academic methodologies, practical efforts, and social contributions throughout the research process and outcomes.

At the workshop, Professor Yoon Young, the principal investigator of the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences support project at Honam University, presented on "Research on Practical Literacy in a Hyperconnected Society," introducing the research process of practical literacy that permeates through "Self (Self-discovery), Society (Social participation), and World (Global solidarity)." Additionally, Ko Hyunbeom, a senior researcher at the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, discussed in the comprehensive discussion session "Possibilities and Exploration of Convergent Research Communities - Focusing on the Role of Basic Humanities," addressing how basic humanities can play a role in the organic organization and effective activities of convergent research communities.

Although each institution has different agendas and project objectives, they derived the keywords "people" and "practice" through sharing knowledge and experiences. They also signed an agreement to establish a mutually organic cooperative system and to continuously share academic achievements for the convergent research community's mutual cooperation. The Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences pledged to strive to devise ways to continuously share academic achievements with the convergent research community institutions with which it has signed MOUs.

Honam University, the only private university in the Honam region selected for the Korea Research Foundation's "Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences Support Project," has been conducting phase 1 research since 2019 with national funding under the theme "Research on Liberal Arts Education to Cultivate Humanities Literacy Competence in a Hyperconnected Society," and is carrying out phase 2 research from September 2022 to August 2025 following the completion of phase 1.