Students Participating in the ‘K–Central Asia STEM Youth Exchange Program (STEM Youth Silk Road)

Sungshin Women’s University (President Seong Keun Yi) held the opening ceremony of the “K–Central Asia STEM Youth Exchange Program (STEM Youth Silk Road)” on the 4th at its Sujeong Campus in Donam-dong, Seoul, to enhance the global competencies of young STEM talents from Korea and Central Asia.

The program is a joint initiative operated by leading universities from three countries—Sungshin Women’s University (Korea), Kazakh National Women’s Teacher Training University (Kazakhstan), and Kimyo International University (Uzbekistan)—and is designed to cultivate female STEM talent. The program runs for a total of 21 nights and 22 days, from January 4 to 25.

A total of 18 students selected from the three universities will begin their journey in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and then travel to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan. In each country, the participants will stay for seven nights and eight days, engaging in educational programs and exchange activities.

In line with the program’s title, “STEM Youth Silk Road,” the curriculum focuses on strengthening competencies in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Participants will broaden their academic understanding through major-specific lectures delivered by faculty members from the three universities, while also expanding their practical perspectives as STEM majors through visits to industrial sites in each country. In addition, cultural experience programs will be offered to promote cross-national exchange and the formation of global human networks.

At the opening ceremony, President Seong Keun Yi remarked, “If the Silk Road of the past was a route for transporting silk and spices, this program will serve as a 21st-century digital Silk Road through which knowledge and talent in the STEM fields are exchanged across borders.” He added, “I hope this program will provide students with an opportunity to experience firsthand how the STEM knowledge learned in the classroom can be applied and expanded in real-world settings in Korea and Central Asia, and to further clarify their career paths through collaborative experiences that transcend nationality.”

Meanwhile, Sungshin Women’s University plans to use this program as a starting point to gradually expand exchange and cooperation with major universities in Central Asia, and to continue operating international exchange-based educational programs for its students.