The 2013 USC Global Conference – “Global Challenges for Humanity” – held in Seoul, Korea from May 23-25, explored USC’s connections to Korea and the entire Pacific Rim.
During the conference’s panel sessions, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy hosted a discussion titled “Korea Rising: Lessons from a Peaceful yet Radical Transformation in Governance,” moderated by Dean Jack H. Knott
Panelists included Yong-duck Jung PhD ’81, professor at Seoul National University and president of the Korean Social Science Research Council; Wu Wei, director of the Nanyang Center for Public Administration at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore; and Eric Heikkila, director of international initiatives at USC Price.
“It was a meaningful panel for the conference, focusing on whether Korea is a model for governance and the development of civil society for Asia,” Dean Knott said.
“Korea has been able to make that transition from a strong state central government to a much more open, participatory democracy,” he added. “Since countries like China and others are not quite to that level of democracy yet, it’s an interesting area to look at more closely.”
Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor Downey Professor of State and Global Policy at USC, delivered the conference’s keynote address.
Speaking to an audience of more than 400, Schwarzenegger revealed some of the secrets to his success. He also stressed the university’s role in giving back and mentoring the next generation of leaders, particularly through the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy housed at the Price School.
“No other university in the United States calls to the world like USC,” Schwarzenegger said in his speech. “It is truly a global university.”
Throughout the conference, the USC Price delegation had opportunities to connect not only with faculty and deans from academic institutions across South Korea, but also with current and prospective students, as well as alumni and friends of the school.
At the USC Price School reception, Dean Knott welcomed distinguished guests including Dalgon Lee, former minister for administration and security and top political advisor to President Lee Myung-bak . Also attending the conference were David Dollinger ’87, principal of Dollinger Properties, who named the Master of Real Estate Development program; Yoshi Honkawa, USC Price Board of Councilors member and his wife, May Honkawa; and Leo Chu, winner of the USC Price School global Ambassador Award, along and his wife, Ivy Chu.
During the reception, Dean Knott gave a brief talk on the challenges and opportunities facing American social science today. He also drew parallels with “some of the trends and developments in social science to the way the Price School approaches its mission and its academic programs.”
In addition, students from the Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development program had the unique opportunity to attend the USC Global Conference. The students were traveling through the region to study the cities of Seoul and Hong Kong as part of the course, “Comparative International Real Estate Development,” taught by Professor Richard Green, director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate.
Director Green noted how the students found their experience abroad to be “life-changing.”
By bringing together members of the Trojan Family throughout the globe, the conference advanced USC Price’s mission of helping to shape the world for the better.
“This conference gives our school the opportunity to connect with alumni and friends from across the Pacific Rim, and engage with them in a very vibrant setting,” Dean Knott said. “It brings together a whole range of people associated with USC all in one place — and that’s always exciting.”
By Cristy Lytal