On Friday, March 7, Seoul National University hosted a meaningful event to celebrate two major milestones in educational innovation. The inauguration of SNU College and the opening of the SNU Commons Central Library took place on the same day, marking a significant turning point in building a future-oriented learning environment and promoting interdisciplinary education.
Inauguration of SNU College to Open a New Chapter in Educational Innovation
SNU College officially launched on March 1, 2025. The college serves as a platform for educational innovation at SNU, aiming to strengthen common core competencies, enhance interdisciplinary education, and expand global learning opportunities. Through this initiative, the university seeks to equip students with key competencies necessary for leading future society while reinforcing fundamental capabilities for major studies. Professor Noh Yoo-Sun from the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Natural Sciences has been appointed as the college’s first dean.
SNU College
SNU College’s common education curriculum—structured around the categories of Foundation, Claves, Veritas, and Exploration—is designed to develop essential academic skills for broad and in-depth learning at the university level, rather than focusing on specific fields of study. It also aims to foster interdisciplinary thinking beyond academic boundaries, as well as competencies in communication, empathy, and global awareness essential for cultivating global citizenship.
In the extracurricular domain, SNU College broadens creative and challenging learning opportunities by further enhancing the experiential and activity-based programs previously offered by the College of Liberal Studies and the Faculty of Liberal Education. These programs provide students with diverse experiences and help them grow into globally competent individuals.
Moreover, SNU College supports students without declared majors—such as those from the College of Liberal Studies or admitted through general admission tracks—in planning their academic paths. This includes guidance on choosing majors and exploring options such as double majors, interdisciplinary programs, and student-designed majors.
SNU Commons x Central Library: Evolving into a Future-Oriented Learning Space
As Seoul National University marks the 50th anniversary of the Gwanak Campus era, it is preparing for a bold leap forward to lead in this time of great transformation. To commemorate this milestone, SNU has launched a new initiative to reimagine its educational environment. As the first step in realizing SNU Commons—an integrated space for educational innovation beyond the boundaries of traditional college campuses—SNU Commons x Central Library has been established.
SNU Commons aims to unite student spaces previously scattered across campus, connect the campus’s horizontal and vertical axes, and serve as a central hub where learning, exchange, and culture converge. It seeks to provide all students—regardless of major—with access to a future-oriented, inclusive educational environment.
Beginning this semester, approximately 4,200 newly admitted students attend classes at the SNU Commons Central Library, becoming the first beneficiaries of this transformation. In particular, the first floor of the main building hosts cutting-edge lectures supported by a large media wall and media labs, as well as immersive courses utilizing various digital media. This space is envisioned as a dynamic hub for cultivating interdisciplinary talent.
This initiative goes beyond spatial reorganization; it is a pivotal step toward realizing SNU’s vision of academic convergence and a creative educational environment. As the foundation of SNU Commons, the Central Library will grow into a central platform for knowledge, communication, and collaboration—supporting the university’s mission to shape the future of learning and culture.
SNU Commons Library Opening Ceremony and Art Forum Poster
To commemorate the opening of the SNU Commons Central Library, the “SNU Commons x Central Library Opening Ceremony and Art Forum” was held on March 7 on the first floor of the library’s main building. The event consisted of two parts: Part 1 featured the opening ceremony, and Part 2 was dedicated to the Art Forum. Through a variety of programs, the event marked a new leap forward for the library and highlighted the convergence of art and academia.
The Art Forum featured Professor Park Je-sung from the College of Fine Arts, the chief artistic director of SNU Commons x Central Library, along with prominent domestic and international artists such as Mok Jin-yo and Kang Yi-yun, who contributed to the creation of media content. Together, they engaged in in-depth discussions on the fusion of art and technology, as well as on creativity and collaboration in preparation for the future society.
The establishment of the SNU Commons Central Library marks the beginning of the ongoing SNU Commons project, which aims to build an open academic ecosystem, support interdisciplinary research and creative activities, and foster continuous collaboration and innovation—ultimately positioning SNU Commons as a hub for future-oriented education.
Translated by Lim Haeyun(Department of English Language Education)