“Konkuk University,
a hotbed of academic and cultural activity in the heart of Seoul”

Last week (last week in March, 2009), I had the immense pleasure of taking a week-long trip to South Korea to visit our 4 partner Korean universities. One of the primary reasons for my visit was to attend the educational fair and networking event hosted by Konkuk University, located in the heart of Seoul. I was joined at this event by colleagues from universities from across the globe; we were treated like royalty by our Korean hosts for the entire week. We were introduced to traditional Korean and Chinese cuisine, were taken to the theatre district of Seoul for a martial arts/comedy called “Jump” and were given a tour of Seoul that included a first-hand introduction to the traditions and customs of the Korean people. We also had the opportunity to tour Konkuk’s impressive and grandiose campus and student facilities, which provide state-of-the art accommodations for student living and academic departments alike. During the conference, each of the university representatives had the opportunity to present information on his or her university and then spent another day greeting and giving advice to Korean students interested in studying abroad.

What I appreciated the most from this conference was the progressive outlook our Korean colleagues have on international education at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They are highly motivated to develop cross-cultural partnerships to give their students the opportunity to gain the advantage of international experience for when they enter the professional marketplace. I was also particularly touched by the warmth and hospitality exuded by our hosts, all the while being put through the paces of a seamlessly operating, highly-efficient program that undoubtedly took many, many sleepless nights to put together.

The beauty and richness of the Korean culture is also moving and breathtaking. The scenery is spectacular. I have also never felt so safe in any large metropolitan city. The streets are immaculate; the people are kind and respectful; there is no graffiti and the landscaping impeccable. You will also be sure to find more than a few tempting and beautiful souvenirs to take home with you, as I did…

On an academic level, you will find that Konkuk University offers many progressive, high quality degree programs with plenty of courses in English, both for the benefit of its Korean students and of its international students. For more information on the academic programs, please visit this site. For a list of courses offered in the English language, please click on this link. Please remember also that Konkuk University is sponsoring an International Summer Program, which you can view via this link.

For photos on my visit to Konkuk University, please here.

“Korean partner universities offer VeCo students high quality academic programs in a modern international atmosphere rich with Korean culture and hospitality”

As part of my tour of Korea during the last week of March, 2009, I had the opportunity to visit all four of our Korean partner universities. This was my first trip to Korea, or even to Asia and I was quite simply enchanted by the warmth and hospitality with which I was greeted at every turn. Our Korean colleagues and their students organized my visit with precision and the utmost efficiency and made sure that my every need was met, in addition to ensuring that I had the opportunity to experience traditional foods and customs typical of their regions. I also had the opportunity to tour the campuses of our partner schools, all of which were extremely impressive with respect to the facilities and services available to students and academic faculties.

The first school I visited was Hallym University, located in Chuncheon, which is famous for its lakes and fresh water supply. Located 80km northeast of Seoul, Chuncheon enjoys the best of both worlds, boasting both the conveniences of a thriving, modern industrial city, and some of the most beautiful natural scenery in Korea. Rivers and lakes surround the city: the Bukhan River, the Soyang River, Lake Chuncheon, Lake Soyang, and Lake Uiam. Already, day-trippers and commuters alike have discovered the charm of the area, the boat-rides on the lakes, and its convenient location within driving distance of spectacular Soraksan National Park.

The countryside around Chuncheon attracts sporting enthusiasts and other visitors throughout the year, and Chuncheon is also close to attractive resort towns such as Kangchon, popular with both local and visiting university students. Chuncheon's calendar is also marked by an abundance of cultural activities, ranging from Festivals dedicated to Puppet theatre and Mime, to the International Animation Festival, and the traditional Snow and Ice Festival.

Chuncheon is about 1.5 hours from Seoul by train (very inexpensive ride for students), so many Hallym students get together and go to Seoul to hang out on weekends. Hallym campus is quite hilly and overlooks beautiful points of view at every turn. The facilities are very modern and provide students as well as faculty members with access to all of the latest state of the art equipment for academic and leisure activities.

A word about Korean university dormitories: nearly ALL Korean dormitories and student centers are equipped with the following facilities: large modern cafeteria, food court modern bookstore, bank, hairdresser, travel agent, eyeglass store, florist, food mart, convenience store, gift shop, internet cafés, photo shop, key shop, shoe repair, modern sports facilities, etc. They are equipped like small cities so that all conveniences are provided to student residents. Security is tight; there are security guards and curfews.

Hallym University offers a variety of courses in English in the various colleges and departments and has one college, the College of International Studies, which offers courses taught exclusively in the English language. Specializations within that college include International Trade and Business, International Media and Culture and East Asian Studies. For more information, please visit this website.

Hallym University summer program – Hallym University is offering a summer program that will focus on Korean language, history and culture and will provide full scholarships to 2-3 VeCo students for the Summer 2009 (July) program. For more information, please visit this site.

For photos of my visit to Hallym University, please visit this link.

Next, I visited Chonbuk National University, which is located in Jeonju. Jeonju, a large metropolitan city located 240 km 144 miles) south of Seoul, is the capital city of Jeonbuk Province. The city is known for its historical and artistic traditions and is the home of the Yi family, which founded the Yi Dynasty and ruled the country from 1392 to 1910. The campus at Chonbuk is vast and modern and also boasts state of the art academic and student facilities.

For an overview of Chonbuk University, please click on the following link: overview Chonbuk University and visit their website.

Academic opportunities at Chonbuk include studies in the humanities including international relations and communications as well as business studies. There are opportunities for coursework in the English language in several of the different colleges. For a listing of the CBNU courses offered in the English language, please click on this link.

During the summer, Chonbuk University offers a program called “Feeling Korea”, a Korean Culture Immersion Program, which includes a Korean class and various kinds of cultural programs including Korean Cuisine, Martial arts, music, and more.

For a full description of the “Feeling Korea” program, please click on this link.

For photos of my visit to Chonbuk University, please visit this link.