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Participants are sharing opinions at the ‘Faculty Workshop’ conducted by the Asia Pacific Women’s Information Center at the National University of Laos, Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Asia-Pacific Women's Information Network Center(APWINC) at Sookmyung Women's University, a UNESCO Chair institution, recently completed the education program aimed at enhancing awareness of gender equality and sensitivity among approximately 110 professors and staff members at two universities in Laos.

The 'Faculty Workshop,' organized by APWINC, engaged a total of 116 people at Souphanouvong University in Laos for two days starting on Monday, January 15th, and at National University of Laos for two days commencing Thursday, January 18th.

This workshop was designed to address the growing importance of gender equality in Laos, and the need for gender mainstreaming education, fostering decision-making processes within universities devoid of gender discrimination in all areas of society. It is part of the UNESCO UNITWIN project that our university has been involved in since 2016 to strengthen the capabilities of ASEAN women through digital and leadership education.

Referring to the 2023 Global Gender Gap Report by World Economic Forum(WEF), Lao PDR secured the 54th position among 146 countries. However, notable challenges persist in specific domains, with particularly lower rankings in areas such as women's educational attainment (107th) and political capacity building (101st).

Participants in the workshop engaged in thoughtful discussions on gender issues within organizations in Lao society from a gender-sensitive perspective. Drawing comparisons between South Korea and Laos, ideas on overcoming obstacles hindering gender equality and the providing practical support needed for Laotian women were shared.

In particular, the workshop witnessed active participation in activities analyzing how societal awareness can transform unequal gender norms and proposing measures for improvement. This workshop is evaluated to have contributed significantly to providing sustainable education by reflecting awareness of gender equality in Lao's higher education institutions.

Participants are taking a commemorative photo after completing the ‘Faculty Workshop’ conducted by the Asia Pacific Women’s Information Center at Souphanouvong University, Luang Prabang, Lao PDR.

Dr. Jeongseong Lee, a research professor at Sookmyung Women’s University’s the Asian Women’s Institute and a mederator in the workshop, expressed, “I hope this will be an opportunity to assess the current status of gender inequality in Laos and explore ways to resolve it from various perspectives.”

Soulideth Keoboualapheth, Vice President of the National University of Laos said, “The importance of women’s roles is being highlighted not only in Laos but also around the world. I hope this workshop will be an important opportunity to promote changes in gender awareness at our university.”

As a part of the UNESCO UNITWIN program, APWINC also conducted a Joint Course program for 38 students from the Department of Computer Engineering and IT Engineering at Souphanouvong University in Lao PDR. The program featured a 10-week basic Python lecture by a local professor, followed by a 3-day in-depth training in Python and OpenCV conducted collaboratively with Professor Jinwon Choi of the Department of Mathematics at Sookmyung Women’s University, starting on Wednesday, January 10th.

This program is expected to provide a new driving force for students to develop into globally competitive talents with digital proficiency. Professor Jinwon Choi shared, “It was touching to see students working hard even in difficult situations where there were challenges in installing programs. I hope you will be interested in the various functions and applications of Python and use it to plan your future.”