Hello!

We are excited to introduce the KOSSDA Undergraduate Competition 2025, hosted by the Korean Social Science Data Archive (KOSSDA) at Seoul National University.

Korean society is undergoing rapid changes and facing complex social challenges, including low birth rates, aging populations, economic polarization, labor market transformations, environmental issues, and digitalization.

How can we analyze key phenomena, problems, or transformations in Korean society using data? And how can we effectively visualize these findings?

To promote the use of data in social science research and foster creative problem-solving skills, KOSSDA is organizing the "Reading Korean Society through Data: Envisioning Change and the Future" competition.

This competition is open to all undergraduate students. Participants are encouraged to utilize various datasets to analyze and visualize social issues in Korea. We look forward to your insightful ideas and innovative perspectives in shaping the future of Korean society.

We hope for your active participation and enthusiasm!

Competition Theme

• Analysis of key social phenomena, issues, or transformations in Korean society, along with future projections.

Submission Format

• PPT file that meets competition requirements and a summary document (download template and complete: https://kossda.snu.ac.kr/news?id=1889).

• Length: 10 slides (excluding cover page and references).

• Format: Free choice of font, design, and font size.

• Important: Participants must not include any personally identifiable information (name, affiliation, etc.) in their submissions.

Required Components

• Title: A question-style title that captures a distinctive aspect of Korean society.

• Problem Statement: Identification of key social phenomena, issues, or changes in Korean society, with future outlooks.

• Data Selection & Analysis: Explanation of data sources, selection process, and analysis methods.

• Data Visualization: Effective visualization of analytical results.

• Discussion: Evaluation of how well the analysis and visualization answer the research question.

Eligibility

• Open to undergraduate students* (individuals or teams of up to 4).

• *Includes current students, those on a leave of absence, and students who have postponed graduation from domestic and international universities.

Data Usage

• No restrictions on topic or type of data, but submissions must use secondary data.

• At least one dataset from KOSSDA must be utilized.

• Data sources must be properly cited, including internet links or DOI (Digital Object Identifier) for accessibility.

• When using KOSSDA data, follow the citation format provided in each dataset’s metadata on the KOSSDA website.

Evaluation Criteria

• Originality of the research question, novelty and reliability of data, effectiveness of visualization, and coherence between question, data, and findings.

Awards

• Grand Prize (1 team): 2,000,000 KRW

• Excellence Award (2 teams): 1,000,000 KRW each

• Merit Award (4 teams): 500,000 KRW each

Competition Timeline

• Registration: March 24 (Monday) – May 2 (Friday), 2025

• Submission Deadline: May 12 (Monday) – June 20 (Friday), 2025

• Judging Period: June 23 (Monday) – June 27 (Friday), 2025

• Winners Announcement: July 1 (Tuesday), 2025

• Awards Ceremony & Presentations: July–August 2025 (details to be announced)

  • Winners will present their projects at the awards ceremony.

How to Apply

• Step 1: Registration – Complete the registration form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSehMO-RzecMqbV_jqEUmtqcs1az4tMO3Aj3QhVzPKfdKqzHHQ/viewform).

• Step 2: Submission – Send the following materials via email to kossda@snu.ac.kr:

  1. PPT file (one PPT format file & one PDF format file)

  2. Summary document (in PDF format, using the provided template)

  3. Consent form for the collection and use of personal information

  4. Competition participation agreement

Inquiries

• Email: kossda@snu.ac.kr (Seoul National University Korean Social Science Data Archive)

We look forward to your participation!