The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has partnered with Gachon University, part of a consortium of five South Korean universities, to advance research and collaboration on aging and population change. Led by the UH Mānoa Center on Aging (COA) and the Humanities-Utmost-Sharing System (HUSS), a South Korean government initiative, the agreement fosters mutual learning and international exchange.
South Korea, one of the fastest-aging societies in the world, offers insights valuable to Hawaiʻi and the U.S.During an August visit, a 24-member HUSS delegation explored COA’s dementia-friendly Hoʻōla ʻĀina Pilipili garden and met with staff to learn about aging initiatives in Hawaiʻi.
“The memorandom of understanding (MOU) encourages the exchange of faculty, students, academic information and collaborative research and learning initiatives,” said Jinyoung “Jenny” Lee, COA assistant researcher. “These exchanges will enhance educational outcomes and promote mutual understanding, particularly around population aging, demographic shifts and inclusive community development.”
Hyejoong Kim of Gachon University described factors driving Korea’s population decline, including low birthrates, high housing costs, and the challenges of raising children.
“We now have become a super-aged society. Bolstering resilience and inclusion for diverse generations and environments is central to our vision,” Kim said. “Our aim is to train many students to be experts in population change.”
Kim added that visiting UH’s Center on Aging was one of the highlights of the delegation’s trip. The dementia-friendly garden, with its active volunteer engagement, left a strong impression, as such initiatives are rarely found in Korea.
The collaboration aligns with COA’s mission to advance applied, translational and community-engaged research focused on Hawaiʻi and the Asia Pacific region. COA is housed in the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health.
