International Exchange Agreements and Foreign Students

‘Internationalization’ is a strategy that SNU adopted in order to adapt to a more networked environment and ensure its future viability. It seems that SNU’s persistent efforts to create a ‘Global SNU’ have finally paid off. For the past two years, SNU has been signing an increasing number of exchange agreements with foreign universities, colleges and research institutes. Since 2010, SNU has experienced a 25% increase in its total number of exchange agreements with foreign universities (currently 488).The number of exchange agreements between research institutions has also gone up in the last two years. The expansion of international collaboration and exchange is the driving force of the rise in the number of foreign students at SNU. Currently, 2608 foreign students are studying at SNU, which is 223 more than two years ago.

Foreign Professors and Courses in English

For the past 2 years, SNU has focused on expanding the number of courses taught in English, and recruiting more foreign professors. Strengthening this basic infrastructure for foreign exchange has helped boost the number of foreign students at SNU. The number of foreign professors doubled from 40 (in 2009) to 80 (in 2011). Similarly, while courses conducted in English accounted for 13.2% of all classes in 2009, they now amount to 15.6%. Especially, the Graduate School of International Studies, the College of Business Administration and the College of Engineering provide many lectures in English. SNU plans to raise the percentage of English courses to 30% and hire more foreign faculty, presumably up to 300 professors, by 2015.
In addition, SNU plans to establish a total of 5 overseas offices by the year 2025. SNU currently has overseas offices in LA and in Beijing. The SNU overseas branches mainly provide foreign students with information about SNU.
An exchange student from Denmark in the College of Liberal Studies said, “Before coming to SNU, I considered many universities in other Asian countries like Singapore, China and Japan. I guess I came to SNU because it offered many courses taught in English that I was interested in. This semester, I’m taking English courses like Music of the World, Introduction to Korean Music Culture and Cultural Philosophy.”

Library Networking Cooperation

On May 23, PARK Jihang, head of the SNU Library, signed an agreement with the University of Tokyo Library which will allow the two libraries to solidify their collaborative efforts. “I hope this will be an opportunity for both libraries and universities, and ultimately both countries, to advance further,” PARK said. FurutaMotoo, vice-president of the University of Tokyo Library, said, “It’s an honor to enter this agreement with SNU Library. I wish to continue fulfilling the mission bestowed upon university libraries in this era by collaborating with SNU Library.”

Written by JANG HyoJeong, SNU English Editor, fatalbonds@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Eli Park Sorensen, SNU Professor of Liberal Studies, eps7257@snu.ac.kr
Proofread by Brett Johnson, SNU English Editor, morningcalm2@gmail.com