|
An aerial view of Bum Island, one of the small islands near Jeju Island |
 By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island ― Jeju Island is seeking to build an international graduate school for peace and island studies. It is working to open "Peace Island School" at Cheju National University (CNU) next September.
In an interview with The Korea Times, Friday, Ko Chang-hoon, 57, CNU professor said Jeju Island will develop itself as a Mecca for world peace. He expects the international school for peace and island studies will help it attain this goal.
``I believe islands are originally peaceful and Jeju is a true place for peace. We can protect and promote its beautiful nature overseas by inviting international scholars to the school. Many world professors, dedicated to islands and peace studies, have already expressed a willingness to join in our peace island school project,’’ Ko said.
The graduate school will consist of 25 faculty members including 15 foreign scholars and two professors from the UN-mandated University for Peace (UPEACE), established in Costa Rica to promote the UN’s spirit of understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence around the world. Prof. Ko and Grant McCall, president of the International Small Islands Studies Association (ISISA) and a professor of New South Wales University will co-chair the international school.
The peace school will recruit some 150 students for two courses ― one for graduate students and the other for career professionals or civil servants. ``The programs aim to attract students from islands in the Asia Pacific area and students can get the opportunity to participate in various activities linked to international organizations for world peace,’’ Ko said.
The programs will be in five categories; peace, human rights, island culture, natural heritage or environments and international tourism.
CNU has already been operating peace island programs for undergraduate students since 2004 and plans to introduce more classes regarding peace and island studies. Specifically, it is one of the school’s core projects to deal with territorial disputes over islands among countries, such as Japan’s claim on Korea’s Dokdo islet.
Ko said the university will apply for the ``World Class University’’ (WCU) project, which was introduced at the beginning of the year by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
The ministry will invest 825 billion won ($804 million) over the next five years to help foster research at universities participating in the WCU project.
Of the state subsidies, Ko aims to gain 3.5 billion won ($ 3.5 million). With the state funds, the peace island school plans to build ``World Peace Island Center’’ at the university and ``World Peace Tribunal,’’ a legal organization like the Hague Tribunal in the Netherlands.
Island Experts Flock to Jeju
A number of global island experts are also trying to contribute to Jeju’s aim to become a hub of world peace. Some 200 scholars from around the world gathered on Jeju island to participate in the ``Island of the World X,’’ a biannual academic conference of ISISA.
It was the first time for Jeju island to have the international island conference. The event, under the title, ``Globalizing Islands: Culture, Peace, Resources and Sustainability’’ ran in Seogwipo city for five days from August 25 through 29.
Georges Tsai, UPEACE ambassador, said he will help Jeju work together with the peace university. McCall said Jeju is one of the best places to become a center for world peace studies during the conference.
Beyond this, the scholars discussed and presented their thesis on islands such as island culture and literature, international island tourism and ways to develop island industries. They also discussed measures to protect island heritages and environment.
Ko said he plans to hold more peace island forums and festivals including world island film festivals and cooperate with ISISA for developing higher education programs.
kswho@koreatimes.co.kr
|
