Stato attuale e prospettiva degli studi coreani in Italia: Focalizzato sull'Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia

Due to the worldwide popularity of the Korean Wave(Hallyu), there is a high interest in Korean culture, relatively tilted to the youth population. This drive acts as an integrated motive for learning Korean language, and it is also linked to the choice of their major discipline in universities. The common phenomenon is that: a high rate of students are interested in learning the language in limited number of universities in Italy that offer Korean language courses. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to present the current status of Korean studies in Italy, future prospects, and tasks for its development. To begin with, based on the research I carried out in some universities across the country like; the University of Naples, University of Rome, the University of Ca’ Foscari of Venice, which have established Korean language courses including Korean literature since the 2000s, and the University of Bologna, the University of Siena and the University of Milan, which offer Korean studies as a liberal arts or a graduate school course. Moreover, in an attempt to expand and further develop the Korean studies, I suggest a list of tasks to consider such as diversification of lectures and improvement of lecture content, training of Korean scholars, reinforcement and expansion of the exchange student system, funds and scholarships, the establishment of the Research Centerfor Korean studies, the related academic organizations for regular holding of academic conferences or seminars and regular publication of journals and books. In a bit to effect this, there is need for closer collaboration among the universities that offer Korean language courses. Lastly, I recounted a review of the changing patterns of Korean language classes at Ca’ Foscari University, which complementary, is a combination of face-to-face education or distance education due to the Italian government's quarantine measures in response to the situation caused by the coronavirus. It emphasizes the need for active responses of learners and instructors to change in educational methods such as effective online class management using communication technology and technological devices in favour of the safety measures placed for the control of the pandemic.