The AUIS Institute for Korean Studies in the Middle East

The AUIS Institute for Korean Studies in the Middle East (IKSM - 중동의대표적한국학연구소 in Korean) is funded through a three-year grant from the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS-2023-INC-2230005), and pursues a threefold goal:

  • To conduct research and facilitate the dissemination of knowledge on Korea within academic settings in Iraq.
  • To coordinate the Korea-related classes (Korean language, history, culture, society, politics, and international relations) that will be taught at AUIS.
  • To promote and expand knowledge and appreciation for Korea in the Middle East at large, and in the Iraq-Kurdistan region in particular.

As a specialized research institute in the social sciences, IKSM aims to explore modernity and its ramifications throughout Korean society from an academic perspective, conducting intensive research on contemporary Korea with significant implications for East Asia at large. The Institute started its operations in the Fall 2023 semester, to foster a number of activities, including:

  • Undergraduate courses on Korean history, society, politics, culture and international relations: the first course in this group - Introduction to Korean Studies (IR 201) - started in September 2023 as  part of the IR degree program. Through the AKS grant, the Institute for Korean Studies also sponsors two full scholarships for current and future AUIS students who intend to major in IR.
  • Academic Seminars and workshops.
  • Events to promote a wider understanding of Korean culture, history, and society with the assistance of the South Korean Consulate in Erbil.
  • Academic Exchanges with relevant institutions at home and abroad; students enrolled in the Korean courses at AUIS have the chance to be selected for a fully funded trip to Seoul, to deepen their knowledge of Korea