UAH offers educational insights, cultural exchange to visiting Konyang University students

Students from Konyang University in South Korea proudly show off certificates from The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) during the closing event of their two-week academic and cultural exchange in the spring 2026 semester. Seated in front of the students, from left to right, are Dr. Daekoo Kim, director of the Konyang Headquarters for Medical and Health Support; Dr. Jon Hakkila, associate provost for international services and academic integrity and dean of the Graduate School at UAH; Professor Seokhwan Bae, general director of the Global University Initiatives at Konyang University, and Dr. David Puleo, UAH provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

Michael Mercier | UAH

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) displayed a wide array of academic programs and area tourist attractions to a group of students and professors from South Korea’s Konyang University during the spring 2026 semester.

The two-week visit was one component of a partnership between UAH, a part of The University of Alabama System, and Konyang University, located in Nonsan, Republic of Korea. The two institutions announced a memorandum of understanding in 2025 that would enable them to collaborate on academic programming, cultural exchanges and study abroad opportunities.

“The Konyang University students really enjoyed engaging with students and faculty in the UAH College of Engineering senior design courses,” said Dr. Jon Hakkila, associate provost for international services and academic integrity and dean of the Graduate School at UAH.

Visiting students from Konyang University give two thumbs up to a rover designed by UAH’s award-winning team for the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC).

Michael Mercier | UAH

“They got hands-on experience with a rocket under construction and examined the components of an electric vehicle. They participated in presentations by the lunar sample return class and the ground-based missile interceptor class.”

The Konyang students had the opportunity to sit in a rover designed by UAH’s award-winning team for the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC). Creating a rover tough enough for international competition is a difficult engineering feat for the UAH team members, but it’s also a satisfying way to show off how much they’ve learned.

Academic rigor and a spirit of fun combined in a senior project focused on aircraft design. The Konyang students participated in a paper airplane contest that was part of the project. When the visitors voted on their favorite aspects of the UAH trip, paper airplanes edged out the other programs.

The students seemed to relish several other educational activities, Hakkila said.

“They experienced a rocket test fire at the Propulsion Lab, launched a balloon from the Altenkirch Greenway, and tested their landing skills on a flight simulator at the Center for Cybersecurity Research and Education. They enjoyed touring the Center for Applied Optics, SWIRLL, the National Weather Service office, and several engineering labs.”

A UAH student displays and describes precision parts created in the UAH College of Engineering machine shop to the delight of a group of students visiting from Konyang University.

Michael Mercier | UAH

Wherever they went on the UAH campus, the Konyang students eagerly showed their curiosity about the various activities.

“They asked great questions in presentations from CSPAR, the Center for Management and Economic Research, and the closing panel discussion which addressed the roles that universities such as Konyang and UAH play in supporting the modern defense industry,” Hakkila said.

The Konyang group also had ample time to take in the sights in Huntsville and beyond.

“The students were impressed with the Cathedral Caverns State Park,” said Simone Frazier, graduate resource coordinator in the UAH Graduate School. “Our visit there sparked conversations about geographical differences and our engagement with natural spaces.”

Like many visitors to Huntsville, the students had lots of fun during their tour of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, ranking it the top recreational activity in their post-visit survey. They also expanded their sports outlook.

“The Huntsville Havoc hockey game was very popular,” Frazier noted. “We sent some new hockey fans back to South Korea.”

Some of the Konyang students may be planning a longer visit to UAH.

“Several students were emphatic about their desire to return to Huntsville and study at UAH,” said Joy Werka, director of International Services. “They expressed interest in our cybersecurity, psychology and mechanical engineering graduate programs.”

Hakkila views the Konyang partnership as “a strong long-term marketing tool in South Korea.”

“The attending students returned home with news of their positive experiences and of UAH’s many great academic opportunities,” he said. “We believe that word will spread.”

Whatever their academic future brings, these students have already gained fresh perspectives from their time at UAH. Dr. Young Mi Sohn, professor and head of the Global Education Innovation Headquarters at Konyang University, expressed her appreciation in this email to Hakkila:

“Through the collaboration between Konyang University and UAH, we were able to provide our students with a meaningful and valuable experience. Thank you again for your continued cooperation and support. We look forward to working with you on our future programs.”

For more information on the UAH Office of International Services (OIS), visit the OIS page on the UAH website.