A joint program between students of Sophia University and Sogang University was held from February 14 to 18. The purpose of this program was to promote exchanges between students of Sophia University and Sogang University (Korea), a fellow Catholic university, as part of their extracurricular education.
Students from both universities share the spirit of synodality* and together create a program to deepen their friendship. The first meeting was held at Sogang University as the host institution.
*Synodality: In Christianity, synodality means a way of walking together.
On the first day, after a warm welcome by Sogang University students at Gimpo Airport, we headed to their campus for an orientation session. This was followed by a tour of Lotte World and Lotte Tower on the second day, and a campus tour on the third, as the students got to know each other more and more over time.
During group work on the third day, students freely discussed a wide range of topics such as “aesthetics,” “education,” “social issues,” “employment,” and “trends.” This deepened their understanding of Japanese and Korean cultures and exposed them to differences in values that could not have been achieved through free discussion alone.
On the fourth day, Prof. Sangyong Kim of Sogang University gave a lecture on the history of Sophia University and Sogang University, with a focus on the Jesuits.
There was also time for group discussion, which allowed the students to appreciate the deep connection between the two universities.
Some students commented that it was an opportunity for them to become more aware of themselves as students of a Catholic university.
Other events, such as a Hongdae sightseeing tour, a game tournament, and a farewell dinner the day before the last day of the program, proved that the students, regardless of their nationality or age, had a great time interacting with each other.
The students of Sogang University always treated the students from Sophia University with great hospitality and care.
On the last day, after the presentation of the group work outcomes, all students received a surprise diploma from Prof. Oh Seil of Sogang University.
Thanks to the efforts of the Sophia and Sogang student leaders and the cooperation and friendliness of the participating students, the program was a great opportunity to learn more about each other’s cultures and develop invaluable friendships.
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Report on the Five-Day Exchange Program Between Sophia and Sogang