Memorandum of Understanding: UNO and SeoulTech Korea, 2024
SPA's International Presence Continues with New MOU with SeoulTech Korea
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UNO Strengthens International Ties with SeoulTech with an Evolving Memorandum of Agreement
International collaboration was brought to the forefront this summer and is continuing this fall with a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SeoulTech University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO).
UNO’s delegates were from the School of Public Administration (SPA). They included Dr. Jooho Lee and Dr. Craig Maher who participated in the June, 2024 MOU signing ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, along with SeoulTech University's President Dong Hwan Kim. The MOU established avenues for the exchange of students, faculty, and researchers, as well as joint research projects, seminars, symposia, and mutual academic collaborations.
Since June, the MOU has been evolving into a more formalized Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). This agreement will solidify the shared commitment to long-term collaboration between the two universities, providing framework for the initiatives and cooperation.
SeoulTech is a national university; officially called Seoul National University of Science and Technology, with more than 11,000 students and a strong technology focus.
Some of the key components in the initial MOU include:
- Exchange of students to broaden educational and cultural experiences.
- Exchange of faculty members, staff, and researchers for collaborative research and education.
- Promotion of joint research projects on matters of mutual interest.
- Mutual invitations to seminars, symposia, and training in educational, scientific, and technical fields.
- Exchange of academic materials, publications, and information to support research and education.
This agreement follows the longstanding professional relationship between UNO’s Dr. Lee and Dr. Wook Sung from SeoulTech. Dr. Sung was a former visiting scholar at SPA, and along with UNO’s Dr. Lee, the two began weekly-research meetings in 2021. Those meetings matured, and have now developed into a collaborative partnership between the two schools.
Dr. Kim, President of SeoulTech, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, "I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for UNO’s visit and the valuable discussions we had. We greatly appreciate the effort and time you invested in making this visit productive and enjoyable. We look forward to continued active exchanges between the two institutions in various fields of research and education.”
Others involved with this MOU from SeoulTech include Dr. Jongho Roh, Director of Department of Public Administration, and Dr. Taehee Kim, Deputy Director, Office of International Affairs.
International Digital Conference Coming to UNO
Along with the MOU, and its focus on digital platforms and open government initiatives, UNO SPA faculty play yearly leadership roles in the international dg.o conference. This conference brings together international scholars for discussion and research on digital government, technology innovation and applications. UNO's faculty from the Digital Governance and Analytics Lab, housed within SPA, include the co-directors Dr. Lee, and Dr. Yu-Che Chen, Interim Director of SPA.
For the past several years, Dr. Lee and Dr. Chen have undertaken complex, large-scale, and time-intensive leadership roles in the international dg.o conferences.
- 2021: Both Dr. Yu-Che Chen and Dr. Jooho Lee led the dg.o 2021 conference as conference lead chair and program chair.
- 2024: Dr. Chen was the co-chair of the dg.o 2024 conference.
- 2025: Dr. Chen and Dr. Lee will serve as the dg.o 2025 conference co-chair and program chair co-chair, respectively.
And the Big News for 2026: UNO won the bid for hosting this international dg.o 2026 conference in Omaha. An estimated 150-200 scholars from more than 30 different countries will be attending. According to Dr. Chen, the international reputation of the SPA, the proven leadership, and the support of the Dean of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service were all instrumental in naming UNO as the host.
Dr. Chen, who is the President-Elect of the Digital Government Society, and his experiences will ensure UNO’s conference will again feature the newest research in digital government and governance.
"Hosting the dg.o 2026 conference at the University of Nebraska at Omaha not only showcases our commitment to international collaboration but also positions us as a global leader in digital governance, and our dedication to building strong international partnerships."
