AKBC NEWS: 1st Korean Studies Educators Forum in Victoria

April 03, 2024

We are pleased to share that AKBC recently attended the 1st Korean Studies Educators Forum in Victoria. This forum brought together Korean Studies professors from the University of Melbourne and Monash University, Korean language school teachers, and Korean Studies graduates.

The journey of Korean Studies in Victoria has been remarkable, evolving from its historical roots to now encompass a wide range of subjects like language, culture, literature, and media. Korean Studies at the University of Melbourne, launched in July 2017, is the fastest-growing study area!

According to Monash University, Korean was identified as one of the four key Asian languages in the 1987 Australian Government’s National Policy on Languages, alongside Chinese, Japanese, and Indonesian. The number of students in the Korean Studies programs at Monash University has skyrocketed from 100 in 2005 to 900 in 2023.

As South Korea stands as one of Australia’s largest trading partners, our relationship continues to evolve across various sectors, including trade, investment, education, and tourism. Despite our successes, challenges persist, especially in obtaining resources and support for language education programs.

Nevertheless, with the growing interest and enrolment of students and the strengthening of the bilateral relationship between Australia and Korea, we remain optimistic about the future of Korean Studies in Australia!