The D.Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages is home to the King Sejong Korean Education Center, which celebrated the first anniversary not long ago since opening its doors.
It works as an additional language training resource for anyone wishing to learn the Korean language regardless of their age, language skills and proficiency levels.Most of those who enroll on language courses at the Center are senior high school students from the capital, who plan to study at higher education institutions in Korea in the future.
To this end, the National Institute for International Education of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea has launched a special scholarship program adopted jointly with the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.
Certificates issued by the Center upon successful completion of Korean language courses grant privileges for participating in the program.Korean universities offer Turkmen students the opportunity to pursue Bachelor’s, postgraduate and doctoral degrees.
At the Center there are also those who wish to study at the D.Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages, the Department of Oriental Languages and Literature.
After finishing their studies, graduates become qualified as a Korean language philologist, a translator, and a Korean language and literature teacher.By the way, this year the Center’s two students entered the Institute of World Languages after they had successfully passed their entrance examinations.
The Korean Education Center is also open to teachers of the Institute, who undergo advanced professional training, its students, who would like to improve their competence in Korean, ethnic Koreans living in Ashgabat, and to all those who are keenly interested in the Korean language, Korean people, their history and culture.
To help its students to learn more about the Korean culture and national holidays, the Center organizes events that feature traditional Korean dishes, national folklore, film screenings, modern dances and songs.
Spectacular carnivals with gift giving are also held to mark special occasions.According to the Center’s staff members, K-pop dances, which are a big favorite with young people now, are particularly popular.
The Center also holds oral and writing competitions in the summer.Its students can participate in one competition or in both if they desire.They are requested to make up a text in the Korean language on a given topic or in a given style and present it to the jury either orally or in writing.
Main judging criteria for the competition are creativity, correct spelling, the use of language, and good speaking skills.Top three winners receive valuable gifts.The Center’s library, which boasts a wealth of useful books, helps students to prepare for competitions and to enhance their knowledge.
Language teaching is focused on two levels: from beginner to intermediate.Each level includes four stages.Upon completion of each level examinations are taken.Certificates are awarded following the successful examinations.
Students take the exams if they wish.The language training program consists of 2 years and allows students to achieve a high degree of proficiency.Now, the Korean Center has 10 groups: 6 beginner-level groups and 4 intermediate-level groups with a total of more than 120 learners.
The Center will launch a new advanced-level course in the near future.Korean Education Centers are widespread across the world.They are state institutions under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea with the headquarters in Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
The Centers’ mission is to promote the Korean language and culture and enhance cultural exchanges between countries.There are 180 Korean Centers all over the world and most of them (about 100) are located in Asia.