[News] SNUAC Holds Opening Ceremony for the 5th Cohort of Global Future Strategy Executive Program in Vietnam

SNUAC held the opening ceremony for the fifth cohort of its public education program, the Global Future Strategy Executive Program in Vietnam, in Hanoi on Friday, August 21. With the launch of the fifth cohort, SNUAC has filled its enrollment capacity and successfully opened the program for five consecutive semesters since its inaugural cohort began in August 2024, once again demonstrating the strong interest and support the program has received from the Korean community in Vietnam.

The ceremony was attended by 44 participants in the fifth cohort, alumni from the first and third cohorts who remain actively engaged in Hanoi’s Korean community, Hoàng Anh Tuấn, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH), Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and other senior university officials. The event began with congratulatory and welcoming remarks, followed by small-group activities organized by the fifth cohort and introductions from each group.

In his congratulatory remarks, Rector Hoàng Anh Tuấn noted the strong synergy between the enthusiasm for learning demonstrated by Korean businesspeople working in Vietnam and the high-quality educational program jointly developed by SNUAC and USSH. He added that such exchanges would provide a foundation for further strengthening cooperation and shared prosperity between Korea and Vietnam.

Professor Yongkyun Kim, Director of the SNUAC Vietnam Center and the program director, explained that the curriculum has been continuously renewed, with two to five new lectures developed each semester. He also expressed his appreciation to the professors and guest lecturers who readily accepted invitations to participate in the program.

The fifth cohort has drawn particular attention with the addition of several new lecturers who have gained public recognition not only in academia but also in the media and industry. They include Dr. Gil-young Song, who has offered influential perspectives on contemporary social change through works such as Forecast of the Times: The Age of the Nuclear Individual; Professor Sung-ho Yoo, a forensic pathologist who has spent many years observing and reflecting on the realities of life and death; and Dr. Young-jae Baek, who earned a PhD in anthropology from Yale University and subsequently held leadership positions at global companies including Philip Morris, Google, and Netflix.

Suhong Chae, Director of SNUAC and professor of Anthropology, emphasized that the program’s stable operation and its successful launch for five consecutive cohorts would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of the leaders and staff of the various institutions involved. He credited the support of the SNU administration, which actively cooperated with SNUAC as it navigated various institutional challenges in launching Seoul National University’s first overseas education program; the SNUAC administrative staff, which has handled the complex practical demands of operating an overseas program; and USSH, whose staff in Vietnam have managed the lectures each week until late on Friday evenings. Their combined efforts, he noted, have made the program’s achievements possible.

The Global Future Strategy Executive Program in Vietnam is jointly operated by SNUAC and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Designed for Korean businesspeople and representatives of institutions working in Vietnam, the program provides a forum for learning and exchange through which participants can gain a broad understanding of major developments in Korea, Vietnam, Asia, and the wider world while exploring strategies for the future. Lectures for the fifth cohort will be held every Friday evening at USSH in Hanoi. Following a total of 15 lectures, the completion ceremony is scheduled for Friday, December 11. The sixth cohort is scheduled to open in Ho Chi Minh City in March 2027.