SU turns over ACUCA presidency to Hannam University
Dr. Betty Cernol McCann, Silliman University (SU) president and Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA) outgoing president, turned over the ACUCA presidency to Dr. Kwang-Sup Lee, Hannam University president, in a virtual ceremony, December 2, 2021.
Lee’s term as ACUCA president will start on January 1, 2022 and will end by December 2023.
“Hannam University plans to lead by example, accepting a leading role in this historical mission and showing the leadership to unite our member schools today and harness their capabilities toward overcoming these changes; toward transforming not just our communities and societies, but the world itself into a better place; and toward encouraging Christian universities to offer character education-based solutions in an era where Christian values have been undermined and diluted,” said Lee in his inaugural address.
Lee also said Hannam University plans to spend its two-year term honoring ACUCA’s aims of contributing to university development in Asia, promoting exchange among universities, and elevating our members’ stature as Christian universities.
In her message during the ceremony, McCann said the ACUCA has “done what it could to engage in timely and relevant courses of action in response to the changing conditions of Asian societies as these struggle to deal with the health pandemic.”
“Through cooperation, mutual support, and encouragement, the Association continued to endeavor to get the Christian universities and colleges in Asia to develop and maintain their Christian character in the face of a raging epidemic. We managed to run the business of the Association and we look forward to more years of active engagement between and among our institutions,” McCann added.
McCann became ACUCA president in January 2019. Her presidency, which was supposed to end in December 2020, was extended until December 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The members of the 2022-2023 ACUCA Executive Committee were also announced during the ceremony: Prof. Tomoko Ueki, Doshisha University president, will serve as ACUCA vice president; Dr. Kitai Justin Kim, Hannam University Linton School of Global Business faculty member, as secretary-general; Prof. Alexander Wai, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) president, as treasurer; and Prof. Ricky Wong of HKBU as officer designate.
“In the midst of…COVID-19, ACUCA has pursued new possibilities for dialogue and collaboration through ICT, creating opportunities for us to confront these challenges and reflect on what we must do now, according to Christian principles. This proves that no matter what kind of tribulations may come our way, if higher education institutions, guided by Christianity, work together and gather our wisdom, the way will surely be opened,” said Ueki during the ceremony.
Members of the 2022-2023 ACUCA Executive Board are Dr. Christianna Singh of Lady Doak College; Dr. Agustinus Prasetyantoko of Atma Jaya Catholic University-Indonesia; Judge Benjamin Turgano (Ret.) of Wesleyan University; Dr. In-Ming Lee of Chung Yuan Christian University; Dr. Suluck Pattarathmma of Christian University of Thailand.
The virtual turnover ceremony was part of ACUCA’s 2021 Management Conference.
During the ceremony, McCann passed on the ACUCA pin and flag to Lee.
McCann and Lee also exchanged university pins as tokens of SU and Hannam University’s partnership.
