​Opportunities to collaborate on global challenges such as food security, environmental sustainability and health and ageing could lay the foundations for closer ties between Australian and Korean regional universities following discussions between leaders from the Regional Universities Network and regional Korean universities.

At the invitation of the Korean Ministry of Education, as part of its strategy to support universities in regional areas, senior managers from Regional University Network (RUN)universities, including: Ballarat, New England, Central Queensland and Southern Cross met to discuss how the two countries can work to enhance student, researcher  and professional mobility.

The visit also sought to dovetail with regional Korean universities’ appetite for international collaboration, which historically has been centred on universities located in metropolitan Seoul.

The delegation’s discussions with the Ministry and Korean universities in Busan, Daegu and Daejeon highlighted common themes relevant to regional universities around the world: their pivotal role in the economic, social and cultural development of their regions; educating professionals to work in the regions; engagement with regional industry and community; the role of regional universities in increasing university participation in areas with low higher education participation; and the importance of strategic research to meeting local challenges.

The RUN delegation visit to Korea, was facilitated by AEI Seoul, as a key outcome of the third meeting of the Australia – Korea Joint Committee on Education held in Canberra on 21 May 2013.

RUN Delegation with the AEI Korea team being welcomed by the Kyungpook University executive.