Dear Colleagues and Friends,

We warmly invite you to the 2026 GELYDA International Conference in Seoul, 24–26 June 2026. The theme is “Building civic and community engagement in youth development: a shared responsibility of schools and extended education.”

We gather in an AI‑ and technology‑driven era that is rapidly reshaping education and everyday life. Our goal is to sustain and expand humanity and community life. Forming a future generation that understands how society works, recognizes roles and responsibilities, and pursues the common good through reason and intellect—not power—is a shared responsibility. It does not rest with schools alone. It calls for extended education and local communities to stand alongside schools.

Korea was once called “The Land of the Morning Calm.” Today, the Republic of Korea, through the dual achievements of industrialization and democracy, has shown the strength of education. Building on this history and experience, we hope to share international cases on the evolving roles and responsibilities of extended education, draw enduring lessons, and design evidence‑informed policies and practices. The program features research presentations, case exchanges, policy roundtables, and conversations on students’ and young people’s growth and development.

We also invite you to experience the vibrancy of K‑culture and the rich diversity of K‑food woven into the program. Over four days and three nights in Seoul, bridging scholarship, policy, and practice, your insights and experience will make our shared journey more rewarding. Please join us in taking a meaningful step forward in advancing civic and community engagement in youth development as a global agenda.

 

Sang Hoon Bae
Vice President of Academic Affairs & Professor, Sungkyunkwan University
Director, Education and Future Institute
Editor-in-Chief, International Journal for Research on Extended Education (IJREE)