Sogang University to Host 2026 History Conference on Education and Research Exchange

Sogang University's history department, in collaboration with the Korean Historical Association, is set to host a major academic conference in August 2026. The event, titled 'Communication and Exchange between History and History Education – Popularization and Education of Research and History Curriculum,' will convene at Sogang University's Jeonghyeongsang Hall.

The conference comes at a time when the South Korean government is emphasizing history education and democratic citizenship education through various initiatives, including teacher training and student programs. The National Education Committee has also decided to expand Korean modern and contemporary history content in the curriculum, increasing the importance of history education in schools.

However, the article argues that simply expanding teacher training, experiential activities, and class time will not yield sustainable results. It stresses the need for academic discussion and public consensus on what historical knowledge to select and how to reconstruct it for curricula and textbooks. This conference aims to bridge that gap.

The event will feature five thematic presentations and a general discussion. Topics include the educational transformation of historical knowledge, perceptions of curriculum agendas among educators, and the significance of oral history education. University-level history education and world history will also be addressed, with presentations on teaching Chinese history and structuring Western history curricula for future generations.

Professor Jeon In-gap of Sogang University's history department and president of the Korean Historical Association expressed hope that the conference will be the starting point for a series of events fostering close communication between history studies and history education. The goal is to ensure history education fulfills its social role and helps students develop both historical thinking and civic judgment.

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We expect this to be the starting point for a series of events that foster close communication between history studies and history education, enabling history education to faithfully fulfill its social role and helping students cultivate both historical thinking and civic judgment.