There is a joke that"In China, when they say you are one in a million, there are a thousand just like you.” However, nowadays China’s growing technology and political role are becoming more impressive than its population. SNU recognized the need to interact with Chinese universities and is implementing ways to help SNU students deepen their understanding of Chinese culture and society.

The Establishment of an International Center in China - SNU in China

The opening ceremony for"SNU in China" took place on August 19 (Friday) in Beijing. “SNU in China” is an international center that SNU has established to reinforce academic collaboration with China’s most prestigious universities. The SNU Center in Beijing will be the hub of academic exchange between China and SNU. Among its many tasks, the center will attract excellent Chinese students, exchange students, support alumni and promote other programs.

Ms. Yoo Hae Ryung, the Asia exchange program manager in the SNU Office of International Affairs, said, “Chinese students who are interested in studying at SNU won’t have to depend on indirect methods of communication like e-mails and telephones anymore. Now, they can visit or contact the center in Beijing and directly receive information about SNU.”

‘SNU in Beijing’ Summer Program for SNU Students

The 'SNU in Beijing' program took place from August 19 to 27. The Office of International Affairs launched this summer visitation program to raise SNU students’ awareness of China. The participants stayed at Renmin University and listened to lectures given by professors from SNU, Peking University, Tsinghua University and Renmin University of China. The participants also had the chance to visit corporations like the Hyundai Automobile Beijing Division and experience the local Chinese culture.

Ms. Yoo Hae Ryung said, “The SNU center in Beijing will help us take care of local administrative problems swiftly and efficiently. If it weren’t for the center, if something had gone wrong with the “SNU in Beijing” Program in China, we would have had a hard time locating and fixing the problem.”

SNU to Conclude Academic Exchange Agreements with ‘C9’ Universities

Early this December, SNU will conclude academic exchange agreements with Nanjing University, the University of Science and Technology of China and Xian Jiaotong University. SNU already has academic exchange agreements with Peking University, Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Zhe Jiang University, Harbin Engineering University and Fudan University. After finalizing the additional three exchange agreements this winter, SNU will be able to boast academic exchange agreements with all of the so-called “C9“ universities. In China, “C9” is a term that generally refers to the nine most prestigious Chinese universities.

Mr. Hwang Jeongnam, SNU director of MOUs (Memoranda of Understanding) & exchange students in the Office of International Affairs, said, “The reason SNU is making these exchange agreements with Chinese universities is because SNU wishes to increase the number of exchange students between SNU and Chinese universities. For example, through the “SNU in China” center, SNU suggested to Peking University that SNU will provide scholarships to students who visit SNU as exchange students. Also, SNU and Peking University decided to mutually exempt exchange students from paying dormitory fees.”

The “SNU in China” center, the “SNU in Beijing” program and the academic exchange agreements with the “C9” will be the foundations for the greater academic interchange between SNU and China that is to come.

Written by JANG Hyo Jeong, 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