CEFIA News
● Call for proposals: Korean Studies Grant 2026
● 2025 Program for Educators in French-Speaking Africa
● The 191st Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad
● The 38th AKS Summer Program for International Students
● 2025 Program for Educators in French-Speaking Africa
● The 191st Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad
● The 38th AKS Summer Program for International Students
Call for proposals: Korean Studies Grant 2026
The Academy of Korean Studies (AKS) is delighted to announce the application guidelines for 2026 Korean Studies Grant Program. This program provides variety of funding opportunities for researchers affiliated with educational or research institutions outside of Korea, to enhance the quality of Korean studies and globalize Korean studies. Anyone who are interested in this program and meets the eligibility is welcome.
1. Programs : Academic Research, Conference and Workshop, Scholarly Publication, Educational and Cultural Program,
Translation of Overseas Korean Studies Monograph
2. Required Documents : Signed Application Form, Project Director's CV
3. Application Period : August 1, 2025 (Fri.) 10:00 AM - September 4, 2025 (Thu.) 13:00 PM (Korea Standard Time)
4. Application Method : Online submission at the Academy of Korean Studies' website
5. Result Notification : The result of your application will be notified on our website and also by email in December 2025.
6. Contacts : Division of International Support for Korean Studies (grant@aks.ac.kr)
1. Programs : Academic Research, Conference and Workshop, Scholarly Publication, Educational and Cultural Program,
Translation of Overseas Korean Studies Monograph
2. Required Documents : Signed Application Form, Project Director's CV
3. Application Period : August 1, 2025 (Fri.) 10:00 AM - September 4, 2025 (Thu.) 13:00 PM (Korea Standard Time)
4. Application Method : Online submission at the Academy of Korean Studies' website
5. Result Notification : The result of your application will be notified on our website and also by email in December 2025.
6. Contacts : Division of International Support for Korean Studies (grant@aks.ac.kr)
2025 Program for Educators in French-Speaking Africa
The Division of Understanding Korean Project held the “Program for Educators in French-Speaking Africa” from July 2 to July, 3, 2025, in Rabat, Morocco. Representatives from AKS included Prof. Jung Chi-Young (vice-president of AKS), Prof. An Yelee (director of CEFIA), Lee Dae-hwa (head of the UKP Division), Jang Hye-jin (expert committee member of the UKP Division), Kim Ri-hui (head expert committee member of the UKP Division), Jang Gi-hong (expert committee member of the UKP Division), and Prof. Park Hwanbo (Dept. of Education, Chungnam National University).
Prior to the program, AKS representatives visited the Moroccan Ministry of National Education, a publishing company, and Mohammed V University to experience in-person Morocco’s educational environment. Then, on July 2, an international conference was held with educators and textbook specialists from five African nations (Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia). Through the conference, each country’s educational and textbook compilation systems, as well as the trends in how Korea is represented in textbooks, was examined, while strategies for improving and expanding content on Korea were discussed. On July 3, participants had the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of Korean geography and education through presentations on the topics of “Korean Geography” and “The Role of Education in Korea’s Socioeconomic Development.”
According to the educators and textbook specialists who participated in this event, this program was a meaningful event, as it marked the first time that education specialists from Francophone African countries gathered in one place for exchange, with no such venue for educational cooperation having been established among the African countries before. Furthermore, the participants expressed an increased interest in Korean education, culture, and history, and agreed to continue their efforts to promote mutual understanding with local students through a strengthened interpersonal network.
The 191st Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad
The Division of International Support for Korean Studies held the 191st Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at the Grand Conference Room of Munhyeongwan Hall. The recipients of the 2025 AKS Fellowship, Dr. Mi-Ryong Shim (Assistant Professor, University of Georgia) and Dr. Maya Stiller (Associate Professor, University of Kansas), presented the findings of their fellowship research.
Dr. Shim presented on the topic of “Translation and Border-Crossing: Reconsidering Korea’s Late Colonial Period Through the Lens of (Im)Mobility,” shining a new light on Korean literature and translated literature from the late colonial period from the perspective of cultural (im)mobility and border crossing. In doing so, she proposed new possibilities for interpreting colonial literature and analyzed diverse cultural realities of colonial Korea around the keyword of “mobility.”
Dr. Stiller presented on the topic of “Envisioning Kwanŭm: Cave Landscapes and Devotional Practice in Korean Seon Art,” looking at the ways in which Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva was visualized together with cave landscapes in East Asian Art from the Goryeo period and later. In particular, she showed how these images served as a medium for guiding the faith and practice of followers, analyzing in depth the interaction between Buddhist worship and art.
Many researchers and graduate students attended the colloquium, sharing diverse opinions. The Division of International Support for Korean Studies will continue to provide such opportunities for communication between researchers from Korea and abroad.
Dr. Shim presented on the topic of “Translation and Border-Crossing: Reconsidering Korea’s Late Colonial Period Through the Lens of (Im)Mobility,” shining a new light on Korean literature and translated literature from the late colonial period from the perspective of cultural (im)mobility and border crossing. In doing so, she proposed new possibilities for interpreting colonial literature and analyzed diverse cultural realities of colonial Korea around the keyword of “mobility.”
Dr. Stiller presented on the topic of “Envisioning Kwanŭm: Cave Landscapes and Devotional Practice in Korean Seon Art,” looking at the ways in which Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva was visualized together with cave landscapes in East Asian Art from the Goryeo period and later. In particular, she showed how these images served as a medium for guiding the faith and practice of followers, analyzing in depth the interaction between Buddhist worship and art.
Many researchers and graduate students attended the colloquium, sharing diverse opinions. The Division of International Support for Korean Studies will continue to provide such opportunities for communication between researchers from Korea and abroad.
The 38th AKS Summer Program for International Students
The Division of International Support for Korean Studies at the Center for International Affairs of the Academy of Korean Studies has been running an AKS Summer Program for foreign university students interested in Korean studies.
The 38th AKS Summer Program was held for three weeks from July 7 to 25, 2025. 18 students from 18 countries participated in the program.
The participating students stayed at the guesthouse in the AKS, and attended Korean language classes and special lectures on Korean studies, and also participated in tours of historical sites and events to experience traditional Korean culture.
The 38th AKS Summer Program was held for three weeks from July 7 to 25, 2025. 18 students from 18 countries participated in the program.
The participating students stayed at the guesthouse in the AKS, and attended Korean language classes and special lectures on Korean studies, and also participated in tours of historical sites and events to experience traditional Korean culture.
