SUNhas turned 10 years old. As one of its founders, I am filled with deep emotions. When SUN was born a decade ago, there were many expectations, but also concerns about the future of this organization. Over the past 10 years, SUN has grown into a promising international organization with 87 member universities across 28 countries and 65 cities along the land and maritime Silk Roads connecting Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. This growth has been possible thanks to the sincere support, care, and dedication of many people. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude and respect to them.
Reflecting on the past decade, significant accomplishments have taken place through SUN. The establishment of the International Association for Silk-Road Studies (IASS) has provided a framework for regular academic exchange among scholars in the Silk Road region. Over the last 10 years, more than 1,000 scholars active in this area have communicated with each other. There are over 800,000 students in the member universities of SUN. To pro- 59 mote mobility and mutual understanding among these students, the United Students of SUN (USSUN) was established, facilitating various cultural exchange programs and Silk Road exploration programs, with more than 2,000 students having participated in these programs over the past decade.
SUN’s activities have garnered global attention. In 2018, we were invited to the UNAOC (United Nations Alliance of Civilizations) General Assembly at UN Headquarters, allowing us to promote SUN’s activities worldwide and build consensus. That same year, SUN was selected by the IIE (Institute of International Education), the largest international organization in the education sector in the US, as a representative case that will be a game changer in education for the next 100 years. Additionally, we have recently received proposals from several countries to relocate SUN’s headquarters to their nations, which is a truly delightful and grateful development.
However, as I think about the next decade ahead, I see that there are several 60 tasks that need to be strengthened, further developed, and newly challenged. Above all, we must significantly enhance student mobility among member universities. Particularly, students from SUN member universities should be able to freely attend lectures, earn credits, and obtain joint degrees at other SUN member institutions. For this, stable scholarship funds and systems need to be established.
We must also activate various forms of joint research among scholars from SUN member universities. This issue should be a key strategic agenda for IASS moving forward, requiring the collective effort and cooperation of all.
We must not lose our courage to continuously discover and pursue civilizational challenges that are directly connected to the reason for SUN’s existence. Projects such as the recreation of the overland Silk Road once traversed by Marco Polo, the completion of the maritime Silk Road exploration from Melaka, Malaysia, to Lisbon, still two-thirds remaining, the “Hippocrates’ Apostles” project aimed at addressing the serious “Medical Divide” 61 occurring along the Silk Road and restoring public respect for the medical profession, and initiatives to connect museums along the Silk Road online for sharing the legacy of human civilization are just a few examples.
Based upon unanimous decision by the participants in the 9th and 10th general assemblies of SUN in Naples and Samarkand, the headquarter and the Secretariat Office of SUN are now relocated to the campus of Canadian University of Dubai. A new era of SUN awaits us. I am sure the future of SUN will be filled with more wonders and gratitude to those who contribute to producing them. According to my experience of SUN for the last 10 years, SUN must be a plant that grows with care, support, and participation by the rectors, professors and students of member universities. It is my pleasant duty to serve you all.
Sungdon Hwang, Ph.D. Secretary-General of SUN
