Ewha Womans University Central Library’s Foreign Research Information Center Receives Highest (S) Rating N
- Date2026.05.08
- 476
The Foreign Research Information Center (FRIC), operated by the Central Library (Director Jung Eunkyung) of Ewha Womans University, received the highest (S) rating for the 11th consecutive year in the “2025 Foreign Research Information Center Project Performance Evaluation” conducted in April this year.
The evaluation assessed the performance of 10 Foreign Research Information Centers nationwide based on their project outcomes from March 2025 to February 2026. The assessment was conducted through both quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods across four categories: operational strategy, operational system, operational performance, and year-over-year improvement. Ewha’s center maintained its highest rating by earning strong evaluations in areas including the acquisition of journals in designated fields, document delivery performance, and efforts to establish cooperative systems and improve services with institutions both inside and outside the university.
The Foreign Research Information Center is a national project supported by the Ministry of Education and supervised by the Korea Education and Research Information Service (KERIS). Based on a cooperative acquisition system among universities, the project establishes a shared-use system for foreign academic journals and provides free document delivery services to researchers in Korea. Through this initiative, researchers’ access to overseas academic information is enhanced while reducing redundant journal subscriptions, thereby contributing to national-level budget efficiency.
Since 2011, Ewha’s Foreign Research Information Center has been designated as the center responsible for the fields of education, social sciences, arts, and physical education. The center currently provides access to approximately 2,500 core academic journals in these fields, including many journals indexed in major databases such as Web of Science and Scopus, as well as rare journals with limited holdings in Korea.
Beyond simply providing materials, the center has continuously strengthened its researcher-centered service system. Through collaborations with institutions such as the Seoul Metropolitan Library, Incheon Metropolitan City Library, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the center has integrated its services so that users can directly search FRIC materials and request document delivery through partner institution websites. This has expanded access to academic information for users of regional and public libraries as well.
In addition, the center continuously monitors and improves its research environment and service quality based on user satisfaction surveys, service statistics, and evaluation results. It is also advancing overall service operations, including website management, promotional strategies, and journal accessibility management. Furthermore, through initiatives such as “FRIC Reading Papers” and research trend analysis reports, the center supports researchers in more easily understanding and utilizing overseas academic papers and the latest research trends.
Jung Eunkyung, Director of the Central Library, stated, “Receiving the highest rating for 11 consecutive years is the result of our continued efforts to improve researchers’ access to academic information and expand the foundation for the shared use of academic resources,” adding, “We will continue strengthening a shared academic information system that can be utilized by both universities and local communities while fulfilling the university’s social responsibility through knowledge sharing.”
Information on how to use the Foreign Research Information Center’s free document delivery service and a list of available journals can be found on the FRIC website atFRIC. Ewha Womans University students and alumni, as well as general researchers, may also submit requests through the library website andRISS. Requested materials may be received through in-person pickup at the center or free postal delivery.