Yeungnam University and Meiji University establishes student exchange twice a year to joint production of learning contents UCC
Developing global partnership through SNS generation communication and understanding
[December 2, 2011]

 “The language and cultural barrier was not as high as we expected. We are still young and because we were ready to understand each other, so it was not too hard. Through this opportunity, it was possible to understand the culture and society of Korea a bit better, and our horizons were broadened. I am especially happy because I made friends in a different country.”

 Saito Masahiro (22) is currently a junior at the Meiji University School of Science and Technology in Japan. This is what he said about the four day project on making UCCs with Yeungnam University students at Yeungnam University.

 Yeungnam University (president Lee, Hyo-soo) held the ‘Learning Contents UCC Exchange Festival’ together with Meiji University from the 28th of last month to the 1st of this month. In one year since establishing sisterhood relations in November of last year, the two universities finally established a regular exchange program.

 
 Team 1 is making a presentation at the Yeungnam University-Meiji University UCC Exchange Festival

 The ‘Learning Contents UCC Exchange Festival’ is for making, presenting and sharing UCCs to be used as learning contents for e-learning and u-learning by students from the two universities making up one team. They made UCCs that could be used as learning contents together, made presentations, and shared them. For this, representatives from each university are selected by intra-school competitions, and then sent to the opposite university. As part of this, the first exchange festival was held at Meiji University in January, and is now being held at Yeungnam University.

 11 students from Meiji University and 9 students from Yeungnam University participated in this exchange festival. The missions of the four Korea-Japanese University student teams (the Gyeongju Cheomseongdae, Anabji and Gyeongju National Museum Team, the Bulguksa and Seokguram Team, the Andong Hahoe Maeul and Dosan Seowon Team, and the Daegu Yakjun street and Yangyeongsi Team) were to make UCCs based on the history, culture and society of Korea over a four day schedule. Though they had an arduous schedule of holding a meeting on the first day, planning conference on the second day, on-site coverage and production on the third day, and editing and presentations on the fourth day, they completed their missions through a the passion unique to those in their twenties, a challenge-oriented spirit for a common goal, and outstanding teamwork.

 At 5 pm on the first day of December, they unveiled their results with the presence of Lee, Hyo-soo, president of Yeungnam University, and Mr. Haragaya, vice president of Meiji University. The creative ideas and wits of two universities students could be seen through the UCCs made in various formats such as documentaries, news shows, quiz shows, and skits. The pride of the students were apparent on their faces, since they were completely responsible for its planning, scripts, filming, dubbing and final editing.

 Oh, Seong-hyeon (26, Yeungnam University senior in department of political science and diplomacy) of Team 4, who introduced Bulguksa, Seokguram, and King Munmu royal tomb in Gyeongju under the title ‘Makgeolli News’ in a news format, said, “Though I am very disappointed that we were unable to perfect it because of our lack of time, I think this experience of staying up all night with people that I met for the first time with the same goal will be remembered whenever new challenges await me.”

 
 From the UCC presentation on the Gyeongju National Museum, Cheonmachong and Anabji during the Yeungnam University-Meiji University UCC Exchange Festival

 Lee, Hyo-soo, who watched the students’ presentations, complimented, “I was very surprised of the depth of the contents and rich information, despite the fact that only two days were given for the actual production.” He added, “I hope that the UCC Exchange Program, which is a creative digital education program suitable to the smart age, will become established as an exchange program for not only Korea and Japan, but all of East Asia.”

 Haragaya Toshio, who led the students from Meiji University, showed his appreciation saying, “I am very happy that a real exchange program has become established in just one year since making sisterhood relations with Yeungnam University in November of last year. We are learning a lot from Yeungnam University, which is one step ahead of us in the e-learning sector.”

 On another note, Yeungnam University has been conducting UCC contents contests for students since October. The winning team and runner-up that pass a total of four stages will be given the opportunity to represent Yeungnam University at the UCC Exchange Festival that will be held at Meiji University in January of next year.

 Professor Kim, Wook-hyun (52, Department of Computer Engineering), director of the Yeungnam University Center of Teaching & Learning who is supervising the UCC exchange, stated, “Most international exchange among universities was usually in the form of academic exchange by just a few professors or visitations by a few students. On the other hand, the UCC Exchange is made by the direct participation of the students in which they heighten an emotional bond while working together to make contents, and it is developing a real global partnership by resulting in continuous exchange through SNS.” He also added, “While establishing UCC Exchange Festivals twice a year with Meiji University, we are also planning to expand this to other universities in China and Southeast Asia.”