In an international conference held at the Erasmus University, students from Sungkyunkwan University(SKKU)’s Department of Global Economics received high recognition from the Dutch and European academic society for their theses.

The Conference, jointly held by the SKKU and Erasmus University, presented 7 theses from 21 Global Economics undergraduates students and 5 theses from Erasmus University. Among the ones notable were SKKU’s Jang Hee-yeol, Seo Won-bae and Lee Gwan-seong’s thesis on the optimal direction for a government support policy on North Korean defectors, such as ‘in-kinds transfer’ and etc.. European economists struggling with the problems of political refugees were highly receptive of the thesis. The thesis by Ha Jae-wook, Park Geun-hyung, Ryu So-hyun and Cho Hyun-jin analyzing the economic actual benfits of a broad free Trade Agreement(FTA), such as Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), also took recognition for the implications it presents to the EU which is undergoing an economic crisis triggered by southern Europe’s fiscal deficit.

“SKKU students’ economic insight and the methodology in their analysis has exceeded the level of an undergraduate.” said Ivo Arnold, the Vice-president of Erasmus University in complementing the student’s achievements.

Meanwhile, having identified the international competitiveness of SKKU’s Global Economics undergraduates, Erasmus University has decided to commence an overseas exchange-student program from spring semester 2015, and also a dual degree program in the fall. The dual degree program allows students to study 1.5 years at SKKU + 2 years at Erasmus University, earning the student a degree from both universities. While such an opportunity will certainly be welcomed by students who aspire to become a global expert, this will be more so since additional cost for the student will be set to a minimum.

The Economics Department of Erasmus University has been rated among the top 38 in the QS economics sector of World University Rankings while gaining the world’s highest level of academic reputation in international economics, econometrics, financial economics and industrial organization. Through this international conference, the global excellence of SKKU’s Global Economics students once again has been confirmed, raising expectations of an more extended cooperations in the future.

The international conference was held in Rotterdam at the Erasmus University ,Netherlands from Jan. 27 ~ 28.

                   2015 SKKU-Erasmus Joint Undergraduate Economic Reserach Conference

               SKKU Dept. of Global Economics signing dual degree with Erasmus University