During a recent trip to South Korea, Chancellor Steve Kang signed four memoranda of understanding with universities that will enable UC Merced students and faculty to interact with their peers on an international level. These cooperative agreements are intended to further education and research opportunities at the universities involved.
In addition to partnerships with universities in India and China, UC Merced now has an official working relationship with the following Korean universities:
• Yonsei University
• Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)
• Catholic University of Daegu
• Seoul National University
These agreements pave the way for the UC Merced to engage in joint seminars and research projects and exchange programs for faculty and students.
“Simply put, these partnerships allow for international academic cooperation,” Chancellor Kang said. “Each university has pledged to share collaborations and promote exchange of students, scholars and staff members for mutual benefits.”
Such cooperation is important for faculty and students who want to engage in international opportunities without sacrificing their grades or seniority at UC Merced. Academic credits based on these agreements received at a partner university will be recognized at UC Merced and vice versa.
John Garamendi Jr., UC Merced’s vice chancellor for University Relations, was also in Korea when the memoranda of understanding were signed. He said the university intends to create similar partnerships all over the globe, but starting in Asian countries makes sense.
Asians make up the ethnic majority of UC Merced students, and Chancellor Kang was born in South Korea. The agreements recently signed are an extension of relationships Kang has been building since arriving at UC Merced.
“It’s exciting to see the chancellor’s hard work come to fruition,” Garamendi said.
