Sharjah: The American University of Sharjah (AUS) has announced the launch of Korean language courses in the Fall Semester 2023 as part of providing students with more opportunities to broaden their global outlook.
The announcement comes after AUS signed an agreement with the Korea Foundation, a South Korea-based non-profit organisation that supports and promotes Korean language and culture around the world.
The AUS College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) will offer two elementary Korean language sections starting in Fall 2023 and will add two intermediate Korean language courses by Fall 2024.
According to the agreement, the Korea Foundation will conduct a Korea-wide search to identify the best candidates to come as visiting faculty members to teach these courses.
Dr. Mahmoud Anabtawi, Dean of CAS, commented that “language learning is an essential component of a well-rounded education. By adding Korean language courses, we are not only meeting the demands of our students but also preparing them to be active members of a globalised world.”
Dr. Ahmad Al-Issa, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs in CAS and Korean Language Project Coordinator, remarked that “we have conducted a survey among AUS students which revealed a strong interest among our students to learn Korean, making us confident that this programme will not only meet the demands of our students but also provide them with valuable language skills that will be beneficial in their future careers.”
“The partnership between AUS and the Korea Foundation presents an excellent opportunity to showcase our commitment in CAS to language and cultural education,” Dr. Al-Issa added.
CAS is dedicated to promoting diversity throughout its disciplines and teaching, research, and service endeavours. It is home to undergraduate degrees in English language and literature, international studies, mass communication, psychology, biology, chemistry, environmental sciences, mathematics, and physics, as well as 22 minors.