with 1,100 Participants from 52 Countries
Consisting of 12 Sessions in 5 Academic Fields
Proving Its 115-Year-Long Global Network Power

Sahmyook University and President Il-mok Kim celebrated the successful hosting of a large-scale international conference, the ICSU 2021 (International Virtual Conference of Sahmyook University), which had the goal of academic exchanges with and among its 123 sister universities around the globe in commemoration of the university’s 115th anniversary.

The conference took place from November 17 to 18 online, instead of offline, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the theme, “Sharing Mission, Vision, and Passion with the World,” the two-day program, comprising 12 sessions in 5 academic fields (Religion & Theology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Healthcare, Science & Technology, and Culture & Arts), welcomed 58 experts and professionals from 14 countries who gave presentations and answered questions.

The Next Generation Sessions, in which undergraduates and high school students took part, featured 15 presentations. The international conference boasted a grand scale, with nearly 1,100 registrants from 52 countries.

Such successful hosting of the large-scale international event amidst the corona pandemic is evaluated to be based on the university’s global network, which has been continuously growing for the past 115 years. Specifically, at the Welcome Ceremony of the conference on the 17th, the university received messages of congratulations and support from many significant figures, including Ted Wilson, President of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and presidents of its sister universities including Andrews University (U.S.), Loma Linda University (U.S.), Southern Adventist University (U.S.), Weimar University, (U.S.), and Avondale University (Australia).

Sahmyook University took the international conference as an opportunity to promote its image as a higher education institution, and to lay the foundation for the vitalization of international research cooperation and mutual academic exchanges. Moreover, the university plans to hold such international conferences on a regular basis to further expand and strengthen its global network. In this regard, SU and its sister universities are currently in consideration of taking turns in hosting the event.

“The ICSU 2021 was a great platform for professors, researchers, and students from our sister universities across the world to transcend the limits of time and space to present research results and discuss diverse topics of interest, developing and tightening our mutual friendship,” Hyun-hee Kim (Dean of the SU Graduate School), Chair of the Organizing Committee said. “We truly hope that the conference will be held regularly, through which our university will grow to be one of the leading global educational institutions,” she added.