The College of Fine Arts at Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) held an international exchange workshop titled “PING PONG: In-between Conversations” in collaboration with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts from Wednesday, May 20, to Thursday, May 21.

On the first day of the event, an opening ceremony and welcome reception were held in the Academic Conference Hall of Kookmin University’s Main Administration Building. In their welcome remarks, Kookmin University President Jeong Seung Ryul, Dean of the College of Art and Design Son Youngmo, and University of Nebraska–Lincoln Dean Andy Belser emphasized the importance of international collaboration in art and design education and expressed their hope that this workshop would serve as an opportunity for students to discover new creative languages amidst different cultures and sensibilities. Based on this vision, Kookmin University’s College of Art and Design and the University of Nebraska’s Hickson-Reed College of the Arts signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for international exchange. Building on this agreement, the two institutions plan to expand practical international exchanges, including student and faculty exchanges, joint workshops, and research and academic collaboration, with a focus on graphic design, video, and new media.

Students from both universities were divided into 18 teams to conduct field research and collaborative projects across various locations in downtown Seoul. Participants developed their ideas based on pre-research materials and experiences gained at diverse sites in Seoul, actively exchanging perspectives on cultural differences and diverse design approaches while continuing their collaboration. On the second day of the workshop, team production sessions and final presentations were held in the conference rooms of the College of Art and Design and the Administration Building. The participating students presented the project outcomes they had completed in a short period, sharing their research processes and creative directions, while faculty members from both universities provided feedback and engaged in discussions regarding the presentations. A potluck exchange featuring snacks from various countries and a group photo session were also organized to foster mutual understanding of each other’s cultures and strengthen bonds.

Professors Myung Yoonkyung of the Department of Visual Design and Lee Taeho of the Department of Visual Communication Design, who organized this international exchange event, stated, “This workshop went beyond a simple collaborative class; it was a time to discover new possibilities for dialogue and creativity amidst different cultures, sensibilities, and languages.” They added, “We were deeply impressed by how the students actively communicated within such a short period and produced unexpected and fascinating results.”

Students who participated in the workshop—Lee Ju-yeon (Visual Design, Class of ’24) and Jo Yun-ha and Heo Je-in (Visual Communication Design, Class of ’23)—shared their thoughts, saying, “The process of exploring Seoul and completing our projects together with students from different cultural backgrounds was very meaningful,” and “We realized that we can communicate effectively through design and imagery.”

Autumn Key and Benjamin Vidlak, students majoring in Emerging Media Arts at UNL, also commented, “This workshop was a special time where we could experience Seoul’s culture and engage in deep collaboration with Kookmin University students,” adding, “We gained a lot of inspiration and precious memories through the process of working and interacting together.”

Meanwhile, Kookmin University’s College of Art and Design used this workshop as an opportunity to expand its global arts and design education network and lay the groundwork for students to gain new creative experiences in an international collaborative environment. Moving forward, the college plans to continue promoting the internationalization of contemporary design and media education through collaboration with various overseas universities and institutions.