1. by El-Naafidha Student Group for Middle East Studies Presented by CHO In-wan Challenges in Korea-Middle East Academic Exchange for the Youth

2. Agenda Setting: Youth Unemployment  Common concern of the next generation: RISING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (The youth is anyone between age 15 and 25)  The ILO’s World of Work Report 2014:

3. Agenda Setting: Youth Unemployment  Korea has relatively low youth unemployment rate  BUT, the 15-25 year old age bracket does not capture a majority of job-hunters in Korea  Delayed age of entering job markets, due to:  Long leave of absence for resume building  Education inflation (graduate school as safe haven to prepare for job interviews/exams)  How do we save academia while ensuring job opportunities for students?  Role of academic cooperation between Korea and the Middle East

4. Methodology  Student Surveys  43 students who have not been to the Middle East  12 students who have been to the Middle East  Sampled from the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Yonsei University, Sungkyunkwan University, and KDI School of Public Policy and Management (KDIS)  Interviews with the program directors or managers at:  Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Myungji University, and KDIS

5. Problem 1: ① Lack of Information  Scale of 1-5 on the awareness of university-affiliated exchange programs (Student Surveys) - Scale of 1-2: 37% - Scale of 3: 42%  Causes (interviews):  Absence of information sessions on exchange programs for the Middle East  Lack of pre-departure orientations (not all)  Unavailability of one-on-one consultation or assistance during the application process and pre- departure preparations

6. Problem 1: ② Lack of Student Support and Management  Student survey results:

7. Problem 1: ② Lack of Student Support and Management  Causes (Interviews):  Absence of one-on-one exchange of students with the partnered universities in the Middle East  Some university-affiliated programs require students to individually select and apply to the partnered universities in the Middle East without prior assistance or consultation  Partnered Middle Eastern universities’ slow administrative procedures and lacking international student management system

8. Problem 1:  Good Practice:  Regular evaluations  Extensive support for credit transfers and course selections  Internship program to the Middle East with credit benefits  Areas of Improvement: 1) Improve the quality of student support and management during pre-, mid-, and post-exchange periods 2) Diversify employment, internship or volunteer opportunities and link up with academic exchange programs

9. Problem 1: Case-study of CAMPUS Asia  CAMPUS Asia (Collective Action for Mobility Program of University Students in Asia)  3 rd Trilateral Summit among Korea, China, and Japan in 2010: A new initiative of “Vision 2020”  4 th Trilateral Summit in 2011 Establish an Asian Academic Community

10. Problem 1: Case-study of CAMPUS Asia  CAMPUS Asia (Collective Action for Mobility Program of University Students in Asia)  Structure:  10 consortiums of universities in China, Japan and Korea  1 year (home university) + 1 year (abroad for the 2 nd degree) + 6 months (abroad for non-degree)  Or 1 year (home university) + 1 year (abroad for the 2 nd degree) + 1 year (abroad for the 3 rd degree)  Benefits:  Credit transfers  Tuition benefits  Joint degrees or joint masters

11. Problem 1: Case-study of CAMPUS Asia  Challenges  Imbalance in financial commitment by three countries  Difference in laws and regulations on higher education  Dissimilar student body exchanged  Lack of post-departure care  Vulnerability to fluctuating diplomatic relations among three countries  Lessons Learned (Student Management)  Managed by full-time staff members  One-to-one consultation to any students  Information sessions and pre-departure orientations  Cross-recommendations to affiliated universities

12. Problem 2:  Passive role of the Korean media in reporting Middle Eastern issues  Student Survey Results

13. Problem 2:  Causes:  Lack of journalists and correspondents stationed in the Middle East  Only few media companies dispatch one or two correspondents to Cairo and Dubai  Other media companies dispatch correspondents only to Washington, Beijing, and Tokyo  Lack of regional expertise and Arabic skills  KINDS of the Korea Press Foundation:  A majority of articles written from July 8 to Sep. 15, 2014 on Israel-Palestine conflicts were directly quoted from the Western media  Media Inside of KBS  70% of articles written during July 7-25 on the Israel-Palestine conflicts were quoted from the Western media

14. Problem 2:  Areas of Improvement:  Training young translators and interpreters who have the full potential to pursue journalism in the future  Signing bilateral MOUs by think tanks and research institutes in Korea and the Middle East to exchange young professionals  Ensuring more balanced reporting by the Korean media  Dispatching more correspondents to the Middle East

15. Conclusion:  Role of universities in Korea and the Middle East  Role of Korean and Middle Eastern governments  Role of Korean student groups  In particular, the role of El-Naafidha in:  Raising awareness of Middle Eastern issues  Attracting more young people to join our concerted efforts in improving academic cooperation between Korea and the Middle East

16. Contributors from El-Naafidha النافذة Cho In Wan Kim Jeon Yeon Jeong Hye Yoon Choi Hyeong Jun Kim So Yeon