Seoul National University
Seoul National University, one of South Korea’s most prestigious higher education institutions, is consistently ranked among Asia’s best universities. The university offers hundreds of undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD courses across 16 colleges, a graduate school, and ten specialist graduate schools in the heart of the country’s bustling capital city. Gwanak, the main campus, is located in southern Seoul and has over 200 buildings that serve thousands of students and employees. The location has its own subway station. The main branch of the Seoul National University Hospital, as well as the medical, nursing, and dental schools, are located on the university’s Yongon campus, which is located just north of the Han River.
The Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology, as well as the Institutes of Green Bio Science and Technology and the university’s own farm complex, are located a short distance outside of town on the Pyeongchang campus. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former President of the International Criminal Court Song Sang-hyun, and former World Health Organization Director-General Lee Jong-wook are among the notable alumni. Nobel Laureate Paul Crutzen and Fields Medal recipient Hironaka Heisuke are among the academic personnel.
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
KAIST was South Korea’s first-ever research-led science and technology university. Established in 1971 under the ideology “in recognition of the nation’s need for elite human capital in science and technology,” with assistance from US advisers, the university, based in Daejeon,
has remained true to that ideology till date. It’s very likely that a KAIST graduate built your smartphone, laptop, or vehicle. South Korea owes a lot to the university’s excellent teaching and cutting-edge research, that has contributed significantly to South Korea’s reputation and high-tech prowess.
The university has a cutting-edge learning structure and is free to function without the constraints of government curriculum and admissions policies that apply to other universities. Undergraduates are free to try out different courses before deciding on a major, and they can change their major at any time. More than 80% of KAIST’s courses are taught in English.
Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)
Sungkyunkwan University is the oldest university in East Asia, having been established over 600 years ago. The university has two campuses: one in Seoul for humanities and social sciences and another in Suwon for natural sciences.
With an intention to extend its dual-degree programmes with a number of prestigious universities across the globe Sungkyunkwan University offers academic exchange programmes and collaborations with 653 universities in 73 countries. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Schools of Engineering and Business, Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, Fudan University, Peking University, and the University of Birmingham are among the university’s 33 dual-degree partners. It also offers South Korea’s first entirely English-taught MBA programme.
Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)
POSTECH a research-focused university, which was established in 1986 in the south-eastern port city of Pohang, is a relatively young, privately owned institution that has quickly risen through the ranks, gaining acclaim from the academic community around the world. It is a powerhouse that produces excellent graduates, produces world-class research, and fosters close relations with industry and commerce partners. The university has taken an innovative, unique, student-centered approach to foster the next generation of world-leading innovators, admitting limited numbers of the best and brightest besides customising teaching to accommodate individuals. While technology and engineering remain the core of academic and research programmes, the university proudly boasts of some of the finest facilities and more than 70 research institutes. Students and staff at POSTECH come from all over the world, and the school has its own bilingual campus. POSTECH wants to keep breaking new ground, both in terms of science and in terms of how it educates students.
Korea University
Korea University, established in 1905, is one of the country’s oldest and largest universities. A ping-pong club, an acoustic guitar club, an environmental protection club, and a Korean checkers club are among the many clubs and organisations available to students. The university is known well for its international educational initiatives. There are global campuses all over the world, as well as many collaborations that help students swap. The university accepts 4,500 foreign students each year, including 1,200 short-term visiting students and 2,000 degree-seeking students, in addition to sending more than 1,200 students abroad on student exchanges each year.
