KANUWP Workshop: Diversity and Global Skills Development in University Education 

KANUWP, which was officially founded in Mar. 2017 and consists of female professors’ associations from 21 national universities as of Oct. 2018, held its “Diversity and Global Skills Development in University Education” workshop at its chair’s university, Chungnam National University, on Oct. 12. The chairs of 13 of its 21 member associations attended, and presentations and discussions were conducted on topics such as the gender equality agenda and the need for diversity education in universities.   

SNU Diversity Council Chair Ki-Sun Hong gave the keynote presentation, “Measures to Promote Diversity in the University”, in which she gave an overview of the goals, required courses, etc. of current university general education programs, with a focus on those in the United States. She analyzed the kind of education top American universities are providing to students about morals, ethics, values, diversity, and social responsibility through general education courses in areas with names like “moral reasoning”, “differences”, and “civic engagement”.

In addition, Distinguished Professor Yeom Hong-cheol of Hannam University gave a presentation entitled “Social Diversity and Gender Equality”, in which he introduced University of Toronto professor Richard Florida’s ideas on the correlation between the emergence of the creative class and the development of cities. Professor Florida emphasizes diversity and tolerance as the keystones of a group of factors—which include technology and talent—that have an important influence on economic development. During the discussion period, participants considered the need for diversity education in various academic fields by discussing diversity and arts education, diversity and education policy in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, and so on.