Sogang University Visits Sophia University in Japan for Academic Exchange of Joint Subjects

- Final presentation and completion ceremony for PBL based on global networks –

Sogang University and Sophia University (President Yoshiaki Terumichi) had the final presentation of 'SOFEX 100: East Asia and Education of the Society of Jesus,' which is a knowledge-sharing project course based on global networks jointly operated by both universities in Korea and Japan, and the exchange of Japanese and Korean cultures and studies, held at Sophia University in Japan for two nights and three days (from January 6 to 9).

▲ President Yoshiaki Terumichi of Sophia University in Japan

After 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, academic exchanges saw a three-year hiatus. This event’s opening drew the attendance of about 60 people, including 20 students pre-selected from Sogang University, 17 students from Sophia University, faculty members and affiliates, such as former students from the course, and the president, vice president, chairman of the board, and director of International Affairs for Sophia University.

▲ NEW SOFEX Sogang University and Sophia University students, faculty, president of Sophia University, vice president, director of the board, and director of International Affairs

SOFEX 100, opened in the second semester of 2022, aims to highlight global issues, define social problems, and participate in practices to solve shared problems through PBL (problem-based learning) with the topic of 'Universal Apostolic Preference' and 'Sustainable Development Goals' based on the educational philosophy of the Society of Jesuits.

On the first day of the visit to Sophia University, the students and individuals connected to the event greeted one another in the welcome ceremony, starting with the campus tour (including the Catholic Center) of Sophia University. Enjoying the Korean-Japanese culture-exchange event prepared by the students from both universities, they exchanged souvenirs and promoted friendship.

▲ Campus tour of Sophia University in Japan and culture-exchange event of NEW SOFEX Korea-Japan (from left)

On the second day of cultural exchange, the final presentation of the PBL (held for 5 to 13 weeks) was made by a team comprised of Korean and Japanese students in Collaborative Online International Learning. The students also visited the Islamic Cultural Center to foster an interest in helping marginalized people based on human dignity in the educational philosophy of the Society of Jesuits and to become 'People for Others' by learning the meaning of religious diversity beyond race, people, nationality, religion, etc. After that, they participated in field education for each team for cultural exchange.

▲ Islamic Cultural Center in Japan, director of the board of NEW SOFEX of Sophia University (from left)

On the third day, the results were shared for the final presentation of the Korean-Japanese joint-subject team project, evaluated by professors and peers, and discussions were held on each team’s field education in Japan. They also promoted harmony and friendship and reviewed the meaning of the course before closing the event with the completion ceremony. 

▲ Final presentation and completion ceremony of NEW SOFEX Sogang University-Sophia University SOFEX 100

The NEW SOFEX academic exchange helped the participants understand their differences and similarities while opening communication, developing mutual abilities between cultures, and broadening their academic horizons. Through SOFEX 100, Sogang University will help its students cultivate cooperative reflection and multi-cultural communicative competency based on the educational philosophy of the Society of Jesuits, and it will work to support fostering talented students with global leadership to contribute to the development of human societies and the development of communities.