IUB to set up Korean govt’s King Sejong Institute

Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) is all set to host the King Sejong Institute (KSI), a prestigious global language and cultural outreach centre of the Government of the Republic of Korea. The King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF) handed over the KSI designation certificate to IUB Vice Chancellor Tanweer Hasan, PhD, during a ceremony in the Korean capital city of Seoul on August 9, 2022.

Earlier this year, IUB became the first private university in Bangladesh to receive the prestigious Window on Korea grant, also from the government of the Republic of Korea. With this grant, as part of its community engagement strategy, IUB is setting up an open-to-all Korea Corner on campus which is a community hub of knowledge and information on the rich culture, heritage and language of Korea. As a continuation of that, IUB has received the designation as a King Sejong Institute. At this institute, which is currently awaiting approval from the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC), there will be opportunities to learn Korean from native speakers.

IUB Vice Chancellor Tanweer Hasan, PhD, said, "Apart from this being a unique honour for us, the King Sejong Institute fits perfectly with IUB's 'going global' and 'community engagement strategies. At IUB, one of our key agendas is to develop students into conscious global citizens. An important way of becoming global citizen is to have multiple language skills. The KSI at IUB will be open to the general public and hence it will provide an affordable platform to learn the Korean Language to both IUB students and the outside community."

LEE Jang-keun, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh, said, "We are extremely happy that our long-time partner Independent University, Bangladesh will be setting up the King Sejong Institute. IUB has been at the forefront of spreading Korean language and culture in Bangladesh for nearly a decade now. I hope this partnership will help strengthen the friendly relationship between the two countries for generations to come."