Sookmyung Visits ISM University in Senegal — President Moon Delivers Special Lecture on Women’s Leadership
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- Writer 커뮤니케이션팀
- 보도일자 2025-10-20
Following its visit to Rwanda, the Sookmyung Women’s University delegation continued its African tour in Senegal, West Africa’s hub of higher education, from October 17 (Friday) for two days to strengthen academic and institutional cooperation.
The delegation first visited Groupe ISM (Institut Supérieur de Management), Senegal’s first private higher education institution located in Dakar, where they were officially received by the Chairman of the Board (PCA), the President (DG), and members of the Executive Committee (CODIR).
Founded in 1992, ISM University is one of West Africa’s leading higher education institutions specializing in management and leadership, with a strong focus on cultivating practical, industry-ready professionals. Since signing an academic exchange agreement (MOU) in 2011, Sookmyung Women’s University and ISM have continued to collaborate through student exchanges and joint initiatives for fostering global women leaders. Last year, more than 20 ISM students visited Sookmyung through the university’s International Affairs Office’s short-term exchange program.
During the meeting, the two universities discussed concrete measures to deepen their partnership, including: △ institutionalizing the student exchange program, △ expanding short-term exchange initiatives, △ launching a Summer School program, △ establishing a “Seoul Module” in Dakar, △ introducing an “African Innovation & Entrepreneurship” program, and △ expanding the Korean Corner within ISM.
President Moon Si-yeun then delivered a special lecture to an audience of 100 ISM students, sharing Sookmyung’s educational philosophy on women’s leadership and the innovative features of Korea’s higher education system. She emphasized that “women’s education is the driving force behind social and national development.”
Among the attendees was Arame Mboup, a Sookmyung alumna currently working at a Korean company in Senegal, who shared her experiences studying in Korea and at Sookmyung. During the Q&A session that followed, students actively asked questions about studying in Korea and women’s education, expressing strong interest in expanding Korea–Senegal exchanges.
The delegation also visited ISM’s newly established Baobab Campus, where they observed student activities in Korean language and culture clubs, reconfirming the growing enthusiasm for Korean culture and language among local students.
In addition, the delegation held official meetings with Boubacar Camara, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Senegal, and Moustapha Mamba Guirassy, Minister of Education, to discuss ways to promote exchanges of highly skilled female talent and to develop leadership training programs.
As Senegal emerges as a key center for higher education in West Africa, expanding women’s participation in higher education has become a national priority. The collaboration with Sookmyung Women’s University—known for its “Global Women’s Leadership” education model—is expected to generate strong synergy between the two countries. Currently, the proportion of female students in Senegal’s higher education stands at about 64 per 100 male students, while women represent only about 12.3% of the academic workforce (as of 2020).