From December 7 to 8, 2023, the 8th China-Korea Graduate Academic Forum on Social Development was successfully held at Soongsil University, South Korea. Professor Liang Xiaoyun, doctoral students Zhang Yuan, Yang Yaya, Dong Zhirong, Jiang Ling, Wang Hui and Zhao Yang Tianzheng attended the conference.

This forum was jointly initiated by SSDPP and the Institute of Social Sciences at Soongsil University of South Korea in 2013, aiming to provide a platform for academic exchange and display of research results for graduate students in the field of social development in China and South Korea. It is held annually by the two schools in rotation. Affected by the COVID-19, it was not held from 2020 to 2022. Through the efforts of both sides, this activity was restarted this year. At the invitation of Soongsil University, the Department of Social Welfare at Ewha Womans University also sent representatives to attend the event.

Figure 1: Professor Liang Xiaoyun addresses the opening ceremony

The theme of the forum is Social Problems and Social Policies in the Post COVID-19 New Normal Era. During the two-day exchange activity, seven students from Soongsil University and Ewha Womans University of South Korea, as well as the relevant students of SSDPP gave wonderful presentations and conducted heated discussions on the theme. Professors from the above three schools commented on the report content, providing academic suggestions from multiple perspectives and levels for the research of the attending students.

Figure 2: Our students present their paper results through PPT

Dong Zhirong of SSDPP and Hye Ji Mun and Yu Bin Cha from Soongsil University were the winner of the Excellent Paper Award at this forum.

Figure 3: Excellent Paper Award Presentation

During the conference, our faculty and students were also invited to visit the Department of Social Welfare at Ewha Womans University and conducted heated discussions on social work-related issues.

Figure 4: Visit the Department of Social Welfare at Ewha Womans University

The attending teachers and students expressed that this event was a very inspiring experience. On the one hand, cross-cultural dialogue has broadened our academic perspectives and provided a valuable platform for both sides to share and improve their research findings. On the other hand, cross-border exchanges have deepened our understanding of policy response strategies when facing global issues in different national contexts.

Figure 5: Group photo of participants at the conference meeting of Soongsil University

Photographed by: Wang Hui

Text by: Dong Zhirong