Korean language education in University of Kelaniya was started in 1997 with two year certificate course for internal students with the help of KOICA. Korean for Bachelor of Arts (General) Degree Program commenced in 2003/2004 making the establishment of the Korean Centre. In 2005 dispatched first Visiting professor by Korea Foundation. Up to present here are more than 1000 graduates who have learned Korean.

The environment of Korean language education in Sri Lanka has changed recently. Most of all, the number of students learning Korean language in university has been grown rapidly. Secondary schools are starting to teach Korean language as a regular foreign subject. Beneficiaries of Korean Government Scholarship Program are returning into their country with M.A. and Ph.D. degree in diverse fields including Korean language education.

We are standing on the state of starting changes. The boundaries of education and research on Korea should be enlarged to build a self-generation system. The Unit of Korean Studies in the University of Kelaniya must be a pivot institution of Korean studies in Sri Lanka. Building of research networks with institutions in India and other Asian countries and continuous investments and constant efforts are necessary.

With this context awareness, the Centre established. Here are the vision and the mission of the Centre.

A Brief History

01 July 2014~30 June 2015.

    The project team(Director Ven. Dr. Meemure Gunanand Thero, Co-researcher Prof. Hemantha Sirisena, Co-researcher Prof. Kim Jin-Ryang, Research Assistant Mr. Amilajith Nisanka) received a project fund of 'Seed Program,' the overseas Korean studies promotion program by AKS, for the establishment of the Centre for Korean Studies, UOK. (4,274,114LKR for 1 year)

26 November~02 December 2014.

    The project team visited to the Jawaharlal Nehru University, India and Kathmandu University, Nepal  for a field research on management of the center for Korean studies in each universities.

13 February 2015. 

    The project team organized the "International Conference on Korean Studies 2015" for establishment of the Centre for Korean Studies in the University of Kelaniya in collaboration with Department of Modern Languages, UOK.

01 July 2015~30 June 2018.

    The project team(Director Prof. Kim Jin-Ryang, Co-researcher Prof. Hemantha Sirisena, Co-researcher Ven. Dr. Meemure Gunananda Thero, Research Assisstant Mr. Amilajith Nisanka, Research Assistant Ms. Gaya) received a project fund of 'Seed Program, the overseas Korean studies promotion program by AKS, for "Building of the Foundation for the Education/Research/Dissemination of Korean Studies in Sri Lanka: Leading by University of Kelaniya). (Total fund about 140,000USD for 3 years)

08 September 2015.

    The Centre for Korean Studies and library, UOK opened with the chief guest Senior Professor Sunanda Madduma Bandara, VC, UOK and the guest of honour Mr. Chang Won-sam, His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea in Sri Lanka 

08 September 2015.

    The Centre organized "1st Korean Studies Festival" 

      -1st Korean Studies Presentation Contest for students

      -Korean cultural show

25~27 November 2015.

    Co-director of the Centre, Prof. Kim attended 2015 KSAA international conference to read a presentation. 

05 February~11 March 2016

    The Centre organized 5 times of seminars for graduate students on the research method.

08 March 2016.

    The Centre received a Korean Studies Grant from AKS for the "international conference and workshop to celebrate the 1st anniversary of the Centre for Korean Studies, UOK"(880,000LKR) 

21~22 October 2016

    The Centre organized the international conference on "Foreign Language Teaching and Learning" in collaboration with Department of Modern Languages, UOK and the workshop on "Impact of Korean Tele-dramas and Films across Borders" in collaboration with Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

Related Activities

Scholarship for graduate students

  -Support full tuition fee for 1 M.A. students

  -Support full tuition fee for 2 M.Phil. students

Scholarship for undergraduate students

  -Korean language and culture training trip: 4 students to Hanyang University(August 2016)

                                                                       1 student to Academy of Korean Studies(July~August 2016)

Training program for Korean language teachers in secondary schools

  -from March 2016 up to present(30 teachers registered)

Publication

  "International Conference on Korean Studies 2015". Conference Proceeding. 2015.

  "한국어 II" Korean textbook for O/L(11th grade year). 2016.

Facilities

  Korean Studies Library: Over thousand copies of books(Korean and English), 

                                         Multi media material(DVDs of films and dramas, and Korean language education)

                                         Seven Computer sets connected to the Internet with headset

                                         Study table with chairs