On January 11, 2023, the collaboration ceremony for the completion of the first year of the LearnUs Global Semester Program, a newly developed study abroad program established between ICU and its exchange partner, Underwood International College (UIC) of Yonsei University, was held on ICU Campus.

In addition to the UIC students who participated in the program, the ceremony was attended by Yonsei University Vice-President of External Relations and Development, Heejun Park, Dean of Underwood International College, Helen Lee and faculty and staff members. Mr. Youn Jae Lee, who has made a generous donation to the program, was also in attendance. The ceremony was also attended from ICU by President Shoichiro Iwakiri, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Robert Eskildsen, Vice President for International Academic Exchange, Mark Williams, and Prof. Joo-Young Jung and Prof. Stephen R. Nagy who taught courses on this program. All ten program participants from the ICU were also present.

In this academic year, the Yonsei students were unable to come to Japan during the term due to the spread of COVID-19 and the resulting immigration restrictions. So they came to Japan and visited ICU campus at this time as a field trip element of the program. After completing the three-month program together, the students from ICU and Yonsei University have strengthened their bonds of friendship, and there were smiles on their faces as they rejoiced to see each other again after the completion of the program.

The ceremony began with opening remarks by President Iwakiri, followed by remarks by faculty members from both universities and an overview of the program by Professor Helen Lee, who had worked on the development of the program. Mr. Youn Jae Lee, who donated to the program generously, also shared his memories of his time at ICU as an international student in the 1970s. The ceremony was a time of reaffirmation of the very strong ties between the two universities, not only in our long history of exchange, but also in the strength of our relationship.

The ceremony also included a joint presentation by four students representing both universities. They shared what they had learned and experienced in the program, as well as their insights on the program theme: "Reconciliation: Towards a New Generation of Japan- South Korea Relations".

Although this "LearnUs Global Semester Program" is a completely new study-abroad program, with each university sending ten students each to deepen their studies in Japan and South Korea on a single theme, combining online and offline learning, the feedback and messages from each of the participants showed that the first year of the program has been a great success.

After the ceremony, the participants were given a campus tour by ICU student guides and enjoyed a joint lunch. They concluded the day by attending the New Year Chapel hour at ICU Church.
Although it was a short stay of only half a day, it was a day that saw the deepening of the relationship between the students and the two universities under a clear blue winter sky, and of wishing the program a long and successful development.