단국대학교

NEWSIS sat down with Dankook University President Soo-bok Kim for a 1-year anniversary interview, this time under the theme, “The Post-Corona Digital Renaissance”. The interview was part of NEWSIS coverage on Kim’s blueprint for a ‘digital renaissance in university education during the post-coronavirus era.’ It shed light on Kim’s proactive leadership based on communication and affection toward the university and his efforts to design a creative learning environment as universities stand at a crossroads of change triggered by the fourth industrial revolution. The following is the full article. [NEWSIS August 13, 2020 / Reporters Jun-gu Lee, Jong-taek Kim, Jeong-hun Shin] Last semester, Dankook University President Soo-bok Kim was given a task no one has had to handle before; moving over 5,000 of the university’s courses online due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. “The challenges faced by universities due to COVID-19 are about practicing preventive and safety measures in the face of this severely contagious disease, as well as protecting our students’ right to learn,” stressed Kim who shared plans to “build the perfect remote learning infrastructure that includes a 40-terabyte cloud server and e-learning systems.” Kim, a graduate of Dankook University’s Department of Korean Language and Literature, became the first DKU alumnus to be appointed university president in its 73-year history. As he reaches the end of his first year in office, Kim is determined to make Dankook a pioneer of the ‘Digital Renaissance’ as online classes, which started amid worries, have now become the norm in colleges and as the field of education moves toward online learning all around the post-corona world. "I believe moving quickly, instead of staying in one place, and being open - interacting with other tribes - are what made it possible for Genghis Khan to conquer the world. Now, colleges will also move beyond classroom walls toward a new way of online education where students can roam freely across fields of knowledge like digital nomads,” said Kim. He added that “[we] will develop ways to learn without being restricted by physical space and build various education programs which will be leveraged to promote credit exchange programs and joint projects with other universities abroad.” Dankook University’s Emergency Committee is already studying potential issues surrounding online classes such as reduced student concentration and fairness in evaluations. As demonstrated in such preemptive responses, DKU has proven to have a strong commitment to become the most competitive university in higher education in the post-pandemic world. Learning from the COVID-19 experience that ‘face-to-face’ teaching and learning is no longer effective in college education, Kim shared his vision to turn lectures given by professors directly into online contents by implementing digital-based active learning classrooms (ALC) and installing recording and editing facilities in 30 of the university’s multimedia classrooms in order to take the lead in the fourth industrial revolution. He also spoke of Dr. Jung-chul Park of the School of Dentistry who is widely known as the first Google Innovator in Korea. Kim explained how Dr. Park is tearing down the existing walls in college education and innovating in the field by taking advantage of technology to promote creative learning. A case in point would be a periodontal surgery performed by Dr. Park that was streamed live on YouTube. When asked about how college education is on the brink of a crisis, he talked about Dankook’s preparations to set up a smart and internet-based learning environment demanded by the current industrial revolution as the world enters fiercer competition. He mentioned practical training demanded by society, student-centered curriculum, and smart learning conditions as the three key innovations needed in Dankook’s strategy for survival and further growth. Kim foresaw the expansion of online learning early on when first being appointed as university president. Last October, he made a visit to Arizona State University (ASU) which has one of the most innovative college models in the U.S. It was a benchmark trip to see first-hand how ASU changed trends in U.S. higher education by introducing its innovative online learning model ‘EdPlus.’ Upon returning, the university’s heart and soul were put into developing DanAI, Dankook’s academic counseling chatbot, based on what was learned during the visit to offer advanced services such as acting as an advisor to students for everything from academics to employment. “[We] have set goals to create an IT-based, student-centric education system as part of the education innovation strategy implemented to prepare for the fourth industrial revolution and the post-pandemic era, focusing on the how and what aspects of classes,” said Kim. He also stressed that “instead of relying only on lecture videos and lesson plans, [the university] will actively adopt flipped learning where knowledge is recreated through group discussions and outcomes are cross evaluated among classmates.” Kim also spoke of a modular curriculum that is underway to allow students to build their own curriculums and study in line with their interests and career paths rather than being confined by academic borders set up when committing to a single major. Dankook University’s exclusive ‘Young-Woong free semester (Young熊 Story)’ will offer various student support services for career planning, studying majors, general counseling, and potential career opportunities as part of the flexible study program. For example, a student interested in self-driving vehicles can take a mechanics course from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and a course on electrical equipment offered by the School of Electronics and Electrical Engineering to shape a personalized portfolio. Such endeavors led to Dankook’s achievement of being selected as a university leader for K-MOOC, the Korean massive open online course project. Dankook ranks fourth for developing the most online contents for K-MOOC among Korean universities and announced its plans to actively utilize it for general education of undergraduate students. In addition, Dankook was named a participant for the second phase of the Leaders in Industry-University Cooperation (LINC+) project, being funded as much as 13.5 billion KRW over a period of three years. DKU has already been acknowledged for its excellence in entrepreneurship education as it was named to represent universities in the Seoul metropolitan area as one of only two universities among the 55 LINC+ members nationwide to serve as a ‘Startup Training Hub Center,’ not to mention being selected as a leading startup university for six consecutive years. "As Dankook, a university founded by a Korean independence activist, commemorates its 73rd anniversary, I feel it is the mission of the current generation to spark a Digital Renaissance. Dankook was the first four-year private university to be established following Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule, so we feel a sense of responsibility to live up to our experience. When society calls, we will answer. And as part of our hard-working efforts to respond to society’s demands, we will aim to revive humanism by making education smart and digital. I will also do my part so Dankook University can create meaningful value in opening a new chapter for college education in the post-corona era highlighted as the ‘Digital Renaissance,” said Kim as he ended the interview. DKU President Soo-bok Kim entered Dankook University’s Department of Korean Language and Literature in 1974 and has been a poet since making his literary debut in 1975. He was appointed Professor of Korean Literature at DKU in 1985 and has served in posts such as the Provost, Dean of the College of Arts, and Vice President of DKU Cheonan Campus. He has written 15 books which include books of poetry and essays on poetry, a theory on cultural contents, as well as the first Korean critical biography of Yun Dong-ju.

“Maintaining caution in such tough times, we have prepared what should be one of the most celebrated performances. We ask for your warm support and hope you enjoy the performance that was made possible, despite so many difficulties, thanks to the passion of our students.” This was the special opening by student advisor and professor Jeong-han Kim on June 29th at the graduation performance of seniors majoring in musicals at Dankook’s School of Theater and Film that was held at the Baekam Art Hall in Seoul. It was a message asking for support and encouragement for students who prepared the performance with passion despite the current conditions where many cultural events are being discouraged due to COVID-19. The performance was a spectacle that fascinated the audience of more than 400 people who filled the performance hall. Thirty-five students were split up into six teams which each put on a 30-minute performance. Even though the entire program lasted over 3 hours, there was not a single moment for the audience to feel bored thanks to the stunning singing performances and dazzling dance numbers that filled the stage. Not only were there scores from famous Korean and international musicals, such as ‘Wicked’, ‘Rent’, ‘Mozart’, and ‘Kinky Boots,’ but also fusion performances that blended in “Trot” music were performed by students who showed off their individual talent and production skills. Students shed tears every time a performance ended as they lowered the curtain on their college life while the audience responded with a standing ovation. Members of the musical, film, and music industries also attended the performance, which was fittingly titled ‘SHOW 2020 Showcase,’ to preview the talent of the next generation of performers in Korea. The performance was also an opportunity to witness the power of ‘K-CULTURE’ which has recently been sweeping the world. Foreign students Jiyean Chow (China) and Victoria (Malaysia) who came to Dankook in hopes of becoming a musical performer were also highly praised by the audience. “My dream of becoming a musical actress is what brought me here to Korea from Malaysia,” said Victoria who performed ‘Always Starting Over’ from the musical If/Then and overwhelmingly added that “the time I spent at Dankook University with outstanding professors, colleagues, and fellow classmates has made my life shine.” The performance was held in compliance with all COVID-19 safety procedures including temperature checks, mandatory hand sanitization, and attendees obligated to wear masks at all times during the performance. The performance was broadcast live on YouTube and also received acclaim from those who were unable to attend in person. ▼ SHOW 2020 쇼케이스 공연 실황

Dankook University is partnering with Siemens Digital Industries Software (Country Manager: Byung-joon Oh) to foster professional talent in smart manufacturing and plants to lead Korea’s manufacturing industries. Smart Manufacturing and Plants refers to an automated system where digital solutions are applied across all areas of manufacturing from design to manufacturing to distribution in order to enhance efficiency. To this end, the two organizations held an MOU signing ceremony on June 30 at Dankook’s Beomjeong Hall on the Jukjeon campus. There, Siemens Digital Industries Software provided DKU with 50 ‘3D Modeling and Simulation’ solution sets that include Simcenter 3D Academic Bundles and 3 other software programs. The software not only uses modeling but also simulation tools to learn performance evaluation and machine programming, which enable students to gain insight on overall product manufacturing. The solution is already contributing to smart manufacturing in the digital age and innovation in plant engineering. DKU will take the solutions to improve the quality of engineering education at the university and leverage it for online and offline programs that will be available for current students and faculty members. The university also plans to issue certificates to students who have successfully completed all courses. The two organizations will also develop an educational program and teaching material together based on the software. Founded in 1847, Siemens is a Germany-based global company with around 380 thousand employees across more than 200 countries and annual revenues of 86.8 billion Euros (117 trillion KRW). Siemens Digital Industries Software is its industrial software arm that offers integrated solutions that cover all areas from design to services. It leads the effort to enhance production efficiency of manufacturing players by sharpening their manufacturing competitiveness with smart manufacturing and smart plants. DKU President Soo-bok Kim, Executive Vice President for External Affairs Sooncheol An, professor Seung-wan Roh, Head of the Office of External Affairs, Director Sung-han Lim of the Innovation Institute for Future Education, Director Seong-jae Bae of the Smart Manufacturing Industrial Center and other university officials, as well as Country Manager Byung-joon Oh of Siemens Digital Industries Software and representatives of the company, including Bong-am Kim (Division Head), Soo-ah Lee (Department Head), Ye-seul Park (Professional), and Chiwon Lee (Director) attended the MOU signing ceremony. “The MOU will accelerate the effort to nurture leading talent tailored to the domestic manufacturing industry,” said DKU President Soo-bok Kim who also added that “the donated software will be utilized in various training programs to facilitate the improvement of job skills of our students and faculty.”

Bentley Systems donates 50 engineering design and analysis SW programs worth 80.1 billion KRW The computer lab in room 501 of the College of Engineering Building 1 set up as a venue for developing engineering design capabilities Dankook University has joined hands with multinational engineering software solution provider Bentley Systems (Kim Ducksup, Head of the Korea Office) to foster engineering design specialists to lead the fourth industrial revolution. On May 19th, the two parties held an MOU signing ceremony at Beomjeong Hall on Dankook’s Jukjeon campus. At the ceremony, Bentley Systems donated 50 engineering design and analysis software programs worth 80.1 billion KRW. The software are educational solutions that can be used for engineering/analysis of digital-based 2D/3D designs that are needed for basic work in engineering fields such as civil engineering, architectural engineering and mechanical engineering. Dankook plans to use these solutions not only to improve the quality of engineering education but also to issue certificates for those who complete online courses offered through the ‘Bentley LEARN server.’ Bentley Systems (based in Philadelphia) is a global firm founded in 1984 that has offices in more than 50 countries with annual revenues of 600 million dollars. The company provides the world’s leading software solutions in design, construction, operations, and maintenance for large capital projects such as for roads, airports, and high-rise buildings. The ceremony was attended by DKU President Soo-bok Kim and university officials, including Executive Vice President Soon-cheol Ahn for External Affairs, professor Seung-wan Roh, Head of the Office of External Affairs, Director Sung-han Lim of the Innovation Institute for Future Education, professor Boosik Kang, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and professor Wanjei Cho, Head of the LINC+ Education Center for Incumbents, as well as Director Ducksup Kim and Manager Yena Hong from Bentley Systems Korea. “We will be able to step up our efforts in nurturing skilled talent and engineering design experts through this agreement,” said DKU President Soo-bok Kim, who also added that “the donated software will be used to educate students and faculty members and is sure to help strengthen their skills.”

Professor Young-seok Song (Fiber Systems Engineering) used algae to develop a photosynthetic cell battery with nearly 20 times higher efficiency than before. His study, entitled “A broadband multiplex living solar cell” with corresponding author Young-seok Song, was recently published. Recognized for its excellence, Professor Song’s research was published in the online edition of Nano Letters (impact factor: 12.279), an international scientific journal for nanoscience and nanotechnology, and was also introduced on the cover of its print edition. Sunlight absorbed by algae drifting on water surfaces is an excellent source of electric energy. Placing algae in a photosynthetic electron extraction system can convert solar energy into electric power. The electric power extracted from algae this way is globally in the spotlight as a sustainable and eco-friendly energy source with various studies currently underway; however, most studies have been limited to low energy efficiency and certain visible wavelengths. Professor Song used gold nanoparticles and zinc oxide nanorods to develop a ‘hybrid nanostructure.’ Combined with the photosynthetic electron extraction system based on cyanobacteria, Song succeeded in extracting energy with around 17 times more density in wider bands than existing plant cells. “Various technologies such as nanotechnology, optical technology, biotechnology and energy converged to develop a high-density energy cell system that works in broadband,” explained professor Song who also added that “even though it may not be commercialized immediately, [I am] looking forward to this study serving as a foundation for research in developing technology for photovoltaic conversions.” This study was carried out with the support of the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Gyeonggi Regional Research Center (GRRC).

Face-to-face classes begin for lab, field experience, and practical courses…"placing safety as a top priority" “Today we will begin with a basic plié move we learned while distance learning.” It is twelve thirty in the afternoon on Monday, April 20th. The basic ballet technique class is in full swing in room 402 of the Jukjeon campus Dance Hall. The six students participating in the class are all freshmen who joined the department this year. As the professor calls through the drill, students perform basic moves learned during remote learning. When a movement is not executed properly, the professor demonstrates the move and helps students make corrections. “This is the first time I've come to school since becoming a university student. Everything is still new to me but I'm excited and motivated to finally be in an actual classroom,” said Do-gyeong Kim, a freshman majoring in ballet in the Department of Dance. Classes are taking place while strictly observing COVID-19 preventive guidelines. Students must first fill out an online questionnaire on their current conditions prior to attending classes. People entering buildings such as the Dance Hall or Music Hall, where face-to-face classes are taking place, are obligated to undergo fever checks and sanitize their hands before entering. Students must not only wear masks during classes but also maintain a certain distance between each other. “It is normally a class of 12 students but we have split the class into two groups of six. Learning the basics is essential for performance arts classes like ours and seeing the students in person makes it possible to instruct them with more precision than through distance learning,” said Professor Sobin Choi (Ballet, Dept. of Dance) who is in charge of the class. Dankook University has strived to make improvements in remote learning by identifying issues through class evaluations and satisfaction surveys. It found there is a limit to how much can be done online for lab, field experience, and practical courses and decided to start offline classes for these courses. Instructors and professors for each course and a special committee desigated for the process held closed discussions to determine which lab, field experience, and practical courses to hold in person. As a result, 322 of the 4,920 undergraduate courses have been selected to start face-to-face classes. On April 11th and 12th, all buildings on campus were cleaned and disinfected in order to prepare for the opening of classrooms. In addition, the classrooms where actual courses take place will go through separate disinfection and sanitizing procedures every night.

Cross-border 'friendship' blooms in the age of the coronavirus 4 Chinese educational institutions, including Shandong University of Arts and Dankook's Chinese alumni, donate 4,000 face masks Four thousand face masks and a touching handwritten letter were delivered to the Office of International Affairs in support of Dankookites. Behind the special gift were Shandong University of Arts and 3 other Chinese educational institutions (Peking University’s Overseas Study Program, Yanzhiyu’s Language Center and Northwestern Polytechnical High School), along with Chinese alumni couples Gao Yang and Sun Meng (Dept. of Dance at Dankook’s Graduate School) and Zhuo Yan and Seonghyeon Yun (Dept. of Sports Science at Dankook’s Graduate School). Earlier in March, the four educational institutions first contacted the Office of International Affairs to express wishes to donate masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Chinese local educational institutions that took part in the donation are organizations that have been working closely with Dankook University in international cultural and mobility exchanges across various fields. With more than 170 Chinese students entering temporary living facilities and hearing news of how difficult it was to buy masks in Korea as the coronavirus rapidly spread, the group proposed donating masks. Gao Yang wrote in the letter that “(we) wanted to do our part in helping our alma mater which is undergoing tough times due to the novel coronavirus. We have been touched by how Dankook has managed the crisis until every single foreign student was released healthy from temporary facilities,” and added that “studying abroad can be lonely and tough, so (we) wanted to express our gratitude to the members of the Office of International Affairs for being there for these students.” Meanwhile, the masks were delivered in front of the International Hall on Monday, April 13th. The masks will be handed out to all international students and currently enrolled students who entered dormitories beginning on Friday, April 17th.

First streaming session records 10 thousand views, peaking at 1,800 concurrent viewers and gaining 5,950 subscribers DKU President’s words of encouragement and support for new Dankook members…widely welcomed by freshmen 'Danggul Live' on Dankook University's official YouTube channel invited Dankook University’s President to a live streaming session to talk to the 5,037 (2,540 in Jukjeon, 2,497 in Cheonan) freshmen starting their college life via distant learning. The first live stream, with contents for Dankook's newest members, took place at five thirty in the afternoon on March 26th and has recorded over 10 thousand views. The highest number of viewers at a given time was 1,800 as of 10 am on March 27th. Instead of a formal orientation and matriculation ceremony, the conversation was tailored for YouTube and grabbed the attention of viewers with relevant communication for new Dankookites. It offered freshmen information on the overall academic calendar, campus details, student clubs, student cafeterias, the hottest places to eat near campus, and even dating tips. The live streaming session with DKU President Soo-bok Kim, Jukjeon campus Student Union President Seon-woo Min (Senior, Department of Applied Statistics) and Cheonan campus Student Union President Min-ho Kim (Senior, Department of Chinese Language) included a Q & A session, in addition to special events for viewers. Prizes such as an AirPod Pro (1 person) and mobile coupons for fried chicken (100 people) were given to select freshmen who sent in acrostic poems using 'Dankook University' or who took part in the pop quiz. Excitement was added as the streaming also included congratulatory messages from alumni, including Seoul Mayor Won Soon Park (Department of History, entered in 1979), history lecturer Min-seok Seol (Department of Theater and Film, entered in 1994), and actor Hae-soo Park (Department of Theater and Film, entered in 2000). “These are tough times for us due to COVID-19, but we should gather our intellect to overcome this crisis,” said DKU President Soo-bok Kim who also added that “although we cannot gather together on campus for the time being, (I) will do my utmost to continue communicating with students regularly through YouTube Live.” Meanwhile, the YouTube broadcast for freshmen can be viewed again on Dankook University's official YouTube channel. The second live stream is scheduled to air at 5:30 pm on April 9th.

Designated as a 'Leading University for Startups' every year since 2014, to receive 6.9 billion KRW in funds over the next 3 years Achieved cumulative revenues of 55 billion KRW and attracted investments of 4.2 billion KRW over the past 3 years Dankook University was named the lead organization for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ ‘2020 Initial Startup Support Package.’ DKU has been a part of the Ministry's startup support program for seven consecutive years since first being designated as a ‘Leading University for Startups (former name of the Initial Startup Support Package)' in 2014, reaffirming its position as an innovative base for entrepreneurship in Gyeonggi Province. The university will be sponsored 6.9 billion KRW over the next 3 years and plans to nurture student entrepreneurs and new business founders to contribute to fostering new industries in Korea. During the past 6 years, DKU has transformed into a 'startup-friendly campus' with more than 17 thousand students taking part in the 500 or so courses offered by the university related to establishing businesses. With over 1,000 students participating in student clubs for startups, the university hosts a 'Festival for Student Startup Clubs' each year to promote their pilot products and also attract investments. Moreover, efforts have been made in connection with the local community to address difficulties faced by 'the entrepreneurially unprivileged' including the K-Startup Academy for immigrants and multi-cultural families, startup training and support for North Korean defectors, partnership programs with schools for the disabled, and a startup contest for universities in Yongin City, just to name a few. There have been tangible results since 2018 such as cumulative revenues of 55 billion KRW, the creation of over 450 jobs, 1.2 billion KRW in exports, and achieving 4.2 billion KRW in investments. The university plans to leverage the foundation for startups built by Dankook to cooperate with other organizations in the province such as the Gyeonggi Center for Creative Economy & Innovation and the Gyeonggi Business & Science Accelerator to leap forward as a true startup hub in the Gyeonggi region. DKU will help with financing to attract direct investments for businesses early on, incubate experts for the fourth industrial revolution, and diversify inroads to global markets. “The goal of this year's program is to materialize 'Win-win Glocal Startups' as part of the university's 'Dynamic Dankook 2027' vision,” said Ki-hoon Yum, head of Dankook's Startup Support Foundation, who went on to share aspirations to “go beyond startups and also develop unicorn companies and star venture businesses that can build various new growth engines for the future.”

Chinese students studying at Dankook University gathered 2.3 million KRW along with a generous donation of 1 million KRW from DKU President Soo-bok Kim The first group of Chinese students in Korea to deliver donations Chinese students studying at Dankook University collected 2.3 million KRW for the citizens of Daegu. It was the first donation to be gathered by Chinese students studying in Korea. DKU President Soo-bok Kim, who heard of the news, added 1 million KRW to deliver a total 3.3 million KRW to the Korean Red Cross branch in Daegu, the city which was recently hit hard by the global pandemic. Chinese students in doctoral programs started collecting donations on February 27th after witnessing the fast spread of COVID-19 upon arriving in Korea. They wished to extend help to low income citizens who were suffering from shortages of emergency protective equipment, such as hand sanitizer and masks. Ninety-seven Chinese undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty members participated in the three-day fundraising drive. Most Chinese students were in self-quarantine in temporary living facilities prepared at the university’s dormitories before the school year started on March 16. Everyone had been assigned to single rooms to prevent the spread of possible infections; however, not being able to meet face-to-face did not stop donations from being gathered quickly through online communities. Chen Ling-Wun (Department of Fine Arts, Doctoral Program) and Liu Wen-Hao (Department of Physical Education, Doctoral Program), who started the fundraising campaign, said that they were “aware of how Korea helped China when it was faced with the coronavirus crisis,” and added that “(we) wanted to also express our appreciation for how Dankook University has been considerate towards Chinese students.” “I was proud to see how the students voluntarily gathered the donations and I hope they will be able to help the Daegu citizens suffering from the coronavirus outbreak,” said DKU President Soo-bok Kim, who added that “(we) will do our utmost to make sure students, both domestic and international, can study safely on campus.”

As the nation fights against the novel coronavirus from spreading, Dankook University is also coming together to ensure the campus remains free from COVID-19. The COVID-19 Emergency Committee was set up last month for DKU President Soo-bok Kim and each university department to closely cooperate and to respond in a timely manner to frequently changing circumstances. President Kim sent a letter to all faculty members, enrolled students and graduates that said “our university is working hard to create a campus for healthy and safe learning, education, and research to take place,” and went on to add that “(I) look forward to starting a new semester by renewing the Dankook spirit that has continued to march forward even when faced with hardships.” As part of our efforts, Dankook University pushed back the start date for the new semester from March 2nd to the 16th and cancelled large-scale events such as the commencement and matriculation ceremonies. Although the commencement ceremony, where students celebrate years of hard work, was cancelled, students understood the need to take preventive measures and displayed maturity by simply taking photos with gowns and caps provided by the university to commemorate their graduation. Urgent decisions were made to set up a COVID-19 Emergency Bulletin Board for timely communication of changes to the academic calendar and school events, to send SMS notifications which have been sent 15 times so far, to temporarily close public facilities such as libraries and student centers, and to restrict campus access for visitors. Meanwhile, around 170 Chinese students, including undergraduate and graduate students, exchange students, and language students, entered temporary living facilities (Woongbi Hall at Jukjeon / Haksajae at Cheonan). This measure was taken to protect both domestic and international members of the university community as 14 days of quarantine was required before school started, even for asymptomatic individuals. Thanks to the willingness of current student tenants of Woongbi Hall and Haksajae who moved to other dorms, the university was able to prepare living facilities to be used for the quarantine process. Employees of the Dormitory Administration Team and the Office of International Affairs were present full time at the temporary living facilities managing the students. Temperatures were taken twice a day and reported to managers on each floor. A close cooperative system was set up with the Suji Public Health Center to prepare for and mitigate emergency situations. Online contents for learning the Korean language were offered so students could improve their Korean skills during the quarantine period. Led by Zhou Yun-Long, President of Dankook University’s International Student Association (Sophomore, Communications), Chinese students already living in Korea collected donations and also delivered hand sanitizer and fruit to the students in quarantine. Students will leave the dorms in the order in which they complete their quarantine period, from April 8 to 10, after which the dormitories will all be sanitized. President Soo-bok Kim visited Woongbi Hall on February 27 and Haksajae on the following day to share his support and encouragement. Kim expressed his “gratitude to everyone on behalf of Dankook University for being at the forefront of making a ‘Clean Dankook’ amid the national state of emergency,” and went on to add “let’s make a campus where all Dankookites, regardless of nationality, can always feel safe.”

The Overseas Volunteer Corps from Dankook’s two campuses made visits to Nepal and Myanmar to provide social services during winter break and practice the university’s guiding principles of ‘Truth and Service.’ The 35 members of the Jukjeon volunteer corps (led by Dean Hyeong-soo Kim of the Jukjeon campus Office of Student Affairs) spent 16 days, from December 23 to January 7, in the Dhading district of Nepal to offer education programs for local students. The volunteer group prepared educational materials in science, math, music, art, and physical education and provided a fruitful program for the 200 students at Dhading’s Sunaulo Bhairabi secondary school. In addition to regular classes, the volunteer group performed Korean traditional dances, including the fan dance, K-POP dances, and cheerleading to promote Korean culture. They also stepped up to take part in maintenance work on outdated facilities, such as repairing the school building, creating wall murals, and installing a water tank to store drinking water. Meanwhile, 28 members of the Cheonan volunteer corps (led by Dean Ki-hong Kim of the Cheonan campus Office of Student Affairs) travelled to Yangon, Myanmar for 9 days, from January 4 to 12. At the No 5. Basic Education Primary School North Oakala, the volunteer group taught 250 primary school students subjects, such as Korean language, science, art, and physical education. They also helped paint the school walls and gate, not to mention fix broken facilities to create a more pleasant atmosphere for the children. Along with volunteer work, the group presented the 450 students studying at the school with gifts of school bags, lunch boxes, colored pencils, paint, scissors, glue and other school supplies and snacks. Dankook’s Volunteer Corps, which were founded in 2007, have since had over 2,200 students and faculty members take part in service trips on 46 occasions, including in Cambodia (14 occasions), Mongolia (11 occasions), Nepal (7 occasions), Myanmar (6 occasions), Laos (5 occasions), Vietnam (1 occasion), Uzbekistan (1 occasion), and Indonesia (1 occasion).

Suhui Bang (Department of Healthcare Administration) topped the state exam for certified hospital administrators, which is conducted by the Korean College of Hospital Administrators. Hospital administrators are recognized as professionals that handle the administrative work needed to run hospitals, such as patient affairs, staffing, planning, management, and financing. More than 3,000 applicants aspiring to serve in the field of hospital administration take the test each year. Thirty prospective graduates of Dankook’s Department of Healthcare Administration applied for the 22nd National Hospital Administrator Exam last November and 29 students, including Bang, successfully passed, recording a high success rate of 96.7% compared to the national average of 68.5%. “Above all, as I graduate from university, I have gained a lot of confidence in passing not only the exams for hospital administrators and health insurance officers but also the national exam for certified health information managers,” said Bang, who shared her dreams of “becoming an outstanding specialist, which would be expected of someone who passed the exam with the highest scores, in order to contribute to the advancement of healthcare administration in Korea.” Meanwhile, Dankook’s College of Health Sciences has also recorded high success rates in national exams for healthcare specialists, exceeding the national average.

For the first time a Korean university, Dankook University, signed an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) last October with BIFT (Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology), a prestigious university in the field of fashion education in China. The effort was led by DKU’s Department of Fashion Merchandise Design and the Industry-Academia Cooperation Foundation to promote exchanges in fashion education and make inroads into the Chinese market for exports. BIFT, a university based in Beijing, was founded in 1959 and has over 6,000 undergraduate students and around 400 graduate school students. The six ‘BIFT PARKs,’ a platform that integrates the fashion industry with fashion education set up around China, now serve as a model for industry-academia partnerships in the field of fashion by pursuing international cooperation, hosting fashion design contests, nurturing new designers, and offering tours of China’s fashion industry. Dankook’s Department of Fashion Merchandise Design has been preparing for student, faculty and educational exchanges with BIFT since 2016. Last October, Soon-cheol An, Dankook’s Executive Vice President for External Affairs, was invited to the ‘International Fashion Education Leaders Forum’ in commemoration of BIFT’s 60th anniversary and delivered a keynote speech where he introduced Dankook’s fashion merchandise program and capabilities in partnering with industries. Following the event, an MOU was signed with BIFT Vice President, Liao Qing, promising close cooperation in areas such as joint studies with DKU’s Department of Fashion Merchandise Design, starting exchange programs for students and faculty beginning in the second semester of 2020 and taking part in the BIFT fashion show. “The Department of Fashion Merchandise Design, the Industry-Academia Cooperation Foundation, and the Office of International Affairs worked together to create this golden opportunity to share Dankook’s capabilities in K-culture fashion with China,” said Soon-cheol An, who also added that “as student exchanges will begin next year, we look forward to exchanges in education spreading to the industry going forward.”