Introduction to BK21

Korea University's BK21 Phase 4 Media Education Research Team was launched in September 2020 with the aim of nurturing global media intelligence and enhancing the ease of research, contributing to solving new social issues in the intelligent information society.

Vision and Activities

This team envisions fostering global media intelligence and contributing to individual, social, and industrial problem-solving in the intelligent information society and social values. It has enhanced the diversity of the curriculum through top-notch support for affiliated graduate students and integrating various majors through curriculum innovation. To foster an organic cycle of education and research, monthly meetings are held 1-2 times, where graduate students participate to share their research findings, engaging in meaningful discussions across various research fields. Additionally, extracurricular programs are conducted to balance the development of four types of research abilities: self-directed, academic, interdisciplinary, and global competencies.

Emphasizing interdisciplinary research, the team has broken the boundaries of media studies and established a unique research ecosystem through collaboration with large research centers that span social sciences and natural sciences. Collaborative research between graduate students and professors has expanded, and a journalism club called 'Journalism Club Q' has been established to enhance major competencies demanded by the media industry, contributing to problem-solving in the industrial sector.

Excellence

Through a two-track strategy, the team has achieved remarkable outcomes. It has produced numerous experts employed in academia (increased international research outcomes and appointment as research fellows in prestigious European educational institutions) and industry (employment in leading domestic companies). Participating professors' research has been selected in the Ministry of Education's top 50 outstanding outcomes. Support for student success has led to 98 domestic and international academic conferences, 15 international journal articles, and 51 domestic journal articles, all showcasing research outcomes at a global level. Moreover, the team's selection as an outstanding research group in 2022 and the Korea Research Foundation's performance evaluation (ongoing support project) sufficiently prove the excellence of the team's academic and practical tracks. The team strives to be the 'wings' for global expansion, the 'foundation' for academic growth, and the 'opportunity' for educational and research innovation, enabling the School of Media & Communication to soar even higher.