Annyeonghaseyo – NHH Strengthens Cooperation with South Korea
In early May, three employees from NHH travelled to South Korea to participate in a two-day seminar organized by HK-dir and the Norwegian Embassy in Seoul, as well as to meet both current and potential partners for exchange and educational collaboration.
The purpose of the trip was to strengthen ties with some of the country's leading universities – and to explore how to increase student mobility in both directions, for studies and internships.
Representing NHH were Astrid Foldal, Head of the Section for International Relations; Marion Fløysvik, Outgoing Student Coordinator and for NHH’s exchange agreements in Asia; and Sang Hoon Kim, Internship Coordinator at the Career Center.
The trip was part of the Panorama Strategy – a national initiative aimed at fostering more and better cooperation in research and education with prioritised countries outside Europe. South Korea is one of these countries, and NHH sees great potential for increased activity that remains underutilized. With a strong educational system, a digitally advanced society, and an industrial structure where Norway and Korea share several areas of interest – such as shipping, offshore wind, seafood, and technology – the country is a natural partner for future-oriented collaboration.
Seminar with Broad Reach
The seminar in Seoul brought together participants from academia, industry, and diplomacy, both from South Korea and Norway. Discussions centred on how best to promote student mobility and internship opportunities, and what role educational institutions can play in developing sustainable and competence-based relations between the countries.
'It was useful to meet both familiar and new actors in the sector, and to gain a better understanding of how we can use exchange and internships as tools to enhance educational quality and labour market relevance,' said Astrid Foldal.
The program also included presentations by students who had participated in exchange programs – both Norwegians in Korea and Koreans in Norway – sharing honest and insightful experiences about what works and what can be improved.
Four Universities on the Agenda
During the stay, NHH visited four universities in Seoul, all with high academic prestige:
- Korea University Business School – a CEMS member and a long-standing and important partner for NHH.
- Hankuk University of Foreign Studies – strengths in languages and international relations.
- Chung-Ang University – known for innovation and a broad academic offering.
- KAIST Business School – South Korea's leading technological university and a member of the PIM network. NHH discussed the possibility of a new exchange agreement here.
The university visits provided both academic input and practical clarifications related to cooperation, and it was valuable to meet face-to-face with colleagues who are otherwise just names in an email inbox.
'There is a lot of enthusiasm for NHH and what we represent, and we received signals that several institutions are interested in further developing the cooperation,' said Marion Fløysvik.
'This gives us a good starting point to facilitate increased mobility in both directions.'
Students, Collaboration, and Strategy
South Korea is an attractive destination for Norwegian students – and vice versa. With strong academic environments, a rich cultural offering, and many large international companies, the country provides excellent opportunities for both academic and professional development. NHH aims to actively leverage this potential in its internationalization strategy.
'Internships abroad are becoming increasingly important, and we are now looking into how we can establish internship opportunties for NHH students in South Korea' said Sang Hoon Kim, who also contributed to the academic program with a presentation on cultural differences between Norway and South Korea.
The trip to Seoul showed that NHH stands to gain a lot from being a visible and active cooperation partner in the region. With closer dialogue and up-to-date knowledge of what partners want and offer, we are better equipped to further develop a valuable international network – to the benefit of both students and academic communities.
Would you like more information about collaboration opportunities with South Korea? Feel free to contact the Section for International Relations.