A 5-day Seoul National University (SNU)–NUS University Scholars Programme (USP) Online Seminar was held from 21 – 23 December and 28 – 29 December 2020. With the theme of "Everyday Life under COVID-19", the seminar aimed to foster greater mutual understanding of the ways people from South Korea and Singapore manage their challenges and day-to-day life and also how both countries work together towards the ‘new norm’. It broadly covers the topics on “COVID-19 and everyday life”, “History, Culture and Identity of Singapore & Korea” and “The Economy, Strategic and Development between Singapore and Korea”.

Lectures were conducted in seminar style with strong emphasis on peer discussion following short lectures. The discussion session aimed to clarify and deepen discussion beyond what students would do after each class and prepared them for assignments (including fieldwork/survey), team debate and presentation related to the topics. These teams were intentionally chosen to mix students of different academic backgrounds. 

Speakers from Singapore included Dr Zhou Lihan (an USP alumni who is currently the co-founder and CEO of MiREXES, a biotech company in Singapore), Dr Lai Ah Eng (an Adjunct Senior Fellow at USP), and A/P Son Joonmo (an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at NUS and USP Residential Fellow). From South Korea, the seminars were conducted by Prof Cho Sung-il, Prof Koo Min Gyo and Dr Chun Kyung Hyo. USP also had the great honor to have Singapore’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (ROK), Mr Eric Teo, for an interactive session with the students.  

Despite the current COVID-19 pandemic, USP is heartened that we were able to collaborate with SNU to provide students with such a meaningful exchange and an insightful virtual seminar.