HUFS Institute of Middle East Studies selected for research project under Humanities Korea Grants program
Summary
The Institute of Middle East Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies has been selected for a joint research project under the government-led Humanities Korea Grants 3.0 program. The institute will receive 12 billion won in funding from the National Research Foundation of Korea over six years. It formed a consortium with three other university research institutes and will study Middle Eastern social change, develop a Korean model of Middle Eastern humanities, and expand public outreach.
Key Facts
- The consortium includes the Institute of Middle Eastern Affairs at Myongji University, the GCC Institute at Dankook University and the Institute of Mediterranean Studies at Busan University of Foreign Studies.
- The project title is Building K-Middle Eastern Humanities for a Transformed Era: Reinterpreting Social Dynamics in the Middle East and Its Contemporary Adaptations.
- The research will first examine historical factors behind changes in Middle Eastern societies and then analyze contemporary geopolitical developments and key issues from a Korean perspective.
- The project includes five joint research subprojects, support for young scholars, and public outreach programs such as public lectures and cultural events.
- The institute was established in 1976 and had previously carried out a National Research Foundation project from 2020 to 2026.
Joint project to build Korean model of Middle Eastern humanities
The building housing the Institute of Middle East Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) / Courtesy of HUFS
The Institute of Middle East Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) has been selected for a joint research project under the government-led Humanities Korea Grants 3.0 program.
The university said Wednesday that the institute will receive 12 billion won ($8.8 million) in research funding from the National Research Foundation of Korea over the next six years to conduct joint research with leading Middle East studies institutions in Korea.
The institute formed a consortium with the Institute of Middle Eastern Affairs at Myongji University, the GCC Institute at Dankook University and the Institute of Mediterranean Studies at Busan University of Foreign Studies.
The consortium was selected for the Humanities Korea Grants 3.0 program under the research agenda, “Building K-Middle Eastern Humanities for a Transformed Era: Reinterpreting Social Dynamics in the Middle East and Its Contemporary Adaptations.”
The research project aims to provide an in-depth examination of changes in Middle Eastern societies and the mechanisms driving them.
It is also designed to develop a Korean model of Middle Eastern humanities that reflects Korea’s distinctive perspective and moves beyond conventional Western-centric frameworks.
The logo of the Institute of Middle East Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) / Courtesy of HUFS
In the first phase, the project will examine the historical factors behind changes in Middle Eastern societies from a diachronic perspective, laying the theoretical and academic foundation for the research.
In the second phase, building on these findings, the project will analyze contemporary geopolitical developments and key issues in the Middle East from a synchronic perspective through a Korean lens.
In particular, the project will expand the academic scope of Middle East studies through five joint research subprojects involving the four participating research institutes.
It will also focus on nurturing and supporting the next generation of scholars who will carry forward the research.
In addition, the project plans to enhance public understanding of the Middle East in Korea and establish a sustainable foundation for Korea-Middle East cooperation by implementing a range of public outreach programs, including public lectures and cultural events.
Established in 1976, the Institute of Middle East Studies is a leading research institution specializing in the Middle East. It has conducted a wide range of research projects covering the region’s politics, economy, society and culture.
From 2020 to 2026, the institute carried out a project under the Research Institute Grants program funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea.
Based on its research achievements under the program, the institute was selected as one of the 50 outstanding achievements in the 2023 academic and research support programs by the Ministry of Education.
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