Vice chancellor, University of Abuja, Professor Abdulrasheed N’Allah has said the school will establish in the nearest future an Institute for Korean Studies.
Don N’Allah made this known during the formal commissioning of the Korea Corner, an information and resource center on Korean Culture and Language in the school by the Korean Embassy and the Korea Culture Center, Nigeria (KCCN), yesterday.
The corner which was a result of a grant sourced by the school from the Korean government via the Korea Africa Foundation (KAF), the Korean Embassy and KCCN, is a three-room facility that holds electronic and writing resources on Korean Pop, Arts, Webtoon, Culture, Language, History, Health and Technology development, Korean magazine, an IT, and a reading section that accommodates 12 visitors simultaneously.
Speaking to the media, Professor N’Allah said the Korean Corner fits into the school’s objective of developing its students into global citizenship through the study of foreign languages, as a general studies requirement for graduation.
“When you know a people’s language, culture and philosophy, you can do business better with them, because you know them, so they can’t cheat you. What we are doing is equipping and strengthening Nigerians to meet with the global work demands.”
The proposed institute of Korean Studies will take the form of the Japanese Language and Culture Institute currently operating in the school; and while the Corner will be one of the resources of studies for the Institute of Korean Studies, N’Allah urged the Korean Embassy to further extend its support through the provision of Korean Language teachers, and additional softwares and hardwares that will enhance language studies.
Responding to the call, Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Young- Chae said that the government through the KCCN will provide additional Korean products, reading materials and computers to fill up the corner’s chest.
Ambassador Young-Chae further noted that his government has discussed scholarship opportunities for UniAbuja students at Korean universities, as well as exchange programmes for the university’s lecturers.
“Nigeria is very important to Korea. Also, because we are located in Abuja, same as the University of Abuja, it is easy and natural for the university and the embassy to collaborate with one another. This is a good collaboration, between Korea and Nigeria, and it is just the beginning. We can do more.”
