In November 2004, the Center for Korean Studies of Kyushu University in Japan, the Center for Korean Studies of Fudan University in China, and the Center for Korean Studies of Peking University in China firstly pictured the blueprint of an alliance of Korean Research Institutes among world-famous universities.
In February 2005, a joint meeting of the Pacific Rim Universities (Kyushu University in Japan, Seoul University and Korea University in Korea, Fudan University and Peking University in China, University of Hawaii, University of California Los Angeles in the United States, Australian National University) was held in Fukuoka, Japan. The Organizing Committee of the meeting announced the decision to establish the Worldwide Consortium of Korean Studies Centers among Famous Universities (WWC).
Today, the WWC consists of 12 leading Korean research institutes in world-famous universities, including Peking University, Fudan University, Seoul University, Korea University, Yonsei University, Kyushu University, Harvard University, University of California Los Angeles, University of Hawaii, University of London, Australian National University, University of British Columbia.
The WWC holds the World Korean Young Scholars Forum (funded by Korea Foundation) and the WWC Directors' Meeting (self-funded) annually. The Forum and the Directors' Meeting provide platforms where scholars can exchange their views on the past, present and future of Korean Studies worldwide.
The Center for Korean Studies at Fudan University (CKS Fudan) actively participates in the WWC. CKS scholars have participated in several World Korean Young Scholars Forums and exchanged with local scholars in Kyushu, Japan, Vancouver, Canada, Kampala, Australia, Seoul, South Korea, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Los Angeles, the United States, London, the United Kingdom, etc.
History
Inception
November 13-14, 2004
The idea of developing an alliance of Korean studies was proposed at the meeting held at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan;
WWC
February 20-21, 2005
The joint meeting of the Pacific Rim Universities ((Kyushu University in Japan, Seoul University and Korea University in Korea, Fudan University and Peking University in China, University of Hawaii, University of California Los Angeles in the United States, Australian National University) was held in Fukuoka, Japan. The Organizing Committee of the meeting announced the decision to establish the Worldwide Consortium of Korean Studies Centers among Famous Universities (WWC).
August 3-4, 2006
Kyushu University of Japan hosted the second WWC Workshop in Fukuoka, Japan.
July 3-8, 2007
The Center for Korean Studies of the University of British Columbia, Canada, hosted the third WWC Workshop in Vancouver, Canada.
June 23-26, 2008
The Australian National University hosted the fourth WWC Workshop in Canberra, Australia.
June 5, 2011
The University of London hosted the 7th WWC Workshop in London, UK.
May 23-26, 2015
The Center for Korean Studies at Fudan University hosted the 11th WWC Workshop in Shanghai, China. The theme of the workshop is Integrating into the Future: The Spreading of Korean Studies in Developing Regions.
