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President of Duksung Women’s university Chi Eun Hee expressed her goals last March for the university to increase the number of partnerships for exchange programs from 51 to 100 universities and foreign professors in order to expand lectures in English to 40 courses.
Her final vision is to make Duksung one of highest education-centered schools not just in Korea but also in the globe by 2020 when the university celebrates its centennial anniversary.
▲ Duksung to strengthen ties with global partners
'Orientation program in English for freshmen' is one of international programs Duksung is operating as a part of globalization efforts.
All freshmen are supposed to attend this orientation program where they can have a practical experience on the culture of English-speaking countries as well as the chance to learn language for three weeks before the school starts.
The program also includes English classes with native speakers for three hours a day to enhance the communication ability.
"This program is to let our students create the base to connect to the global community and more students are going to take such a program in the near future," she said.
English program is only the beginning of efforts that Duksung is making for the purpose of strengthening ties with the global community .
The university plans to open a variety of facilities for international members in Duksung. For instance, the dormitory for foreign students is going to be completed to accommodate 1000 people by 2013 along with international building to provide services for exchange students and professors.
The plan also includes Mirisa College, which is named after the founder of Duksung, to teach classes in English and the research center for women’s and Korean studies with an aim to finish the construction by 2018.
In addition, the university offers diverse overseas courses for current students as well as alumna including exchange program and global internship where some candidates receive full or partial scholarship.
In order to improve the quality of education and research, Duksung has been increasing international exchanges with other colleges in the world, and providing various financial and academic supports for the students and professors who are involved with many international programs.
At the present, Duksung has joined in sisterhood relationships with 34 universities from 11 countries and intends to expand the size to 61 educational institutions by the end of this year and 100 universities by 2012 ultimately. The number of students sent to overseas is expected to increase in stages from 300 by 2010 to 500 by 2012.
▲President Chi focusing on partnerships
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| President of Duksung Women’s university Chi Eun Hee | ||
President Chi highlighted the partnership more than anything else in her inauguration speech last March when she was given second tenure as the head of university.
The reason she put a lot of emphasis on special programs like reading and expression is because such programs can teach students how much partnership matters in the age of global cooperation.
"I strongly believe the new era will come along with partnership rather than leadership because no one can survive without helping each other in the globalized community," she added.
The very concept of cooperation is in fact the core idea that Duksung values global partnership with countries in Asia, unlike so-called ‘global leadership’ with only advanced countries.
One of her plans to realize the partnership is to bring about ten talented women from Asian countries on scholarship every year to Korea and to dispatch students in Duksung to overseas in order for them to have practical idea of being cooperative in the international community.
That is why she is planning to create scholarship programs and dormitory for foreign students in Korea.
Additionally, the university carries out some voluntary programs during the summer break which send students to countries like Nepal, Thailand, the Philippines, Mongolia and so forth.
▲ To be one of highest education-centered schools by 2020
Last but not the least vision of Duksung is to become one of highest education-centered universities by 2020, which makes the university so unique because most schools in Korea put big emphasis on research.
"Not every university can be one with high focus on research and graduate school, given that about 84 out of 100 high school students in Korea go on to the higher stage of education," she said.
She added that there should some needs among students asking universities to support them with career program since at least 90 percent of university graduates want to get a job rather than go back to school for either master or doctor degree.
In order to meet such needs, Duksung has extended its existing career service to a new system of developing human resources which offers services such as career-related information and increased its budgets for internship programs for junior and senior students.
By Kim, Hyongwook
김형욱 기자 nero@ajnews.co.kr
아주경제=ajnews.co.kr 무단전재 배포금지
By Shin, Kirim
신기림 기자 kirimi99@ajnews.co.kr
아주경제=ajnews.co.kr 무단전재 배포금지
