“We want to make a school that develops in conjunction with our students using the two-campus system.”
Dae-Bong Kwon, president of Joongbu University, expressed the ambition to innovate the school. “I will focus on highlighting the specific purposes of each campus. I want to make Chungcheong Campus function as a global campus while the Goyang campus functions as a creative campus that will be able to lead the 4th industrial revolution.”
“Universities are at their turning point. We’re constantly adjusting and acclimating to maintain our extraordinary post secondary educational institution.
As we innovate and improve our educational system, our students are our priority. Without students, staff and faculty members would lack purpose. We strive to create a learning environment where students can learn and develop effectively.”
Post secondary institutions are not only facing a diminution of student population but the pandemic crisis as well. The lack of students has been a growing issue. Amid this crisis, Kwon appeared as a relief pitcher. He is an expert in international development and has extensive experience in human resources development and developing countries cooperating with UNESCO and World Bank. Also, he led research cooperation with OECD, when he was working as a president of KRIVET (Korean Research Institute for Vocational Educational and Training).
The resolution he presented during his inauguration revolved around innovation. He designed New Joongbu University as a springboard for students. He emphasized that he will focus on innovating all the systems of JBU to reach the goal of the school: Global Outstanding Student, Creative Student, Righteous Student.
Accelerating to establish the campus specialization system.
Kwon will focus on the campus specialization system during his term. He will set each campus’ aim differently. He is planning to make Chungcheong Campus a global campus and Goyang Campus as a creative campus. He wants to make JBU as a foundation for student growth based on a self learning system.
He will reinforce the global education courses by making it a requirement for every student who graduates from the Chungcheong campus to be multilingual. JBU is establishing a specific strategy for this goal. They will innovate a global campus system. They will create a faculty of global talent and secure a professional structure in the office of international affairs. Also, they plan to admit over 2000 international students by expanding to major countries including China, Indonesia, and India. Also, JBU will offer employment abroad to encompass all the Inbound and Outbound systems.
The Goyang campus will focus on developing creative students. This campus is setting a goal to take the lead role of 4th industrial revolution and korean wave contents.
Kwon is going to set up a new policy making subjects of AI and Big Data as required electives. He will also prepare a blended learning education for various majors, allowing students to learn online and offline simultaneously. He is expecting creative results using a media lab.
“Students nowadays are the new generation, they’ll be the ones to set the new norm. They have the power to create new things from nothing. In order to develop these future leaders, we’ll provide them with our full support. Our role is to cultivate students’ skills to use high-tech hardware and software at the same time.”
Get ready for the hybrid system of online and offline.
Kwon is also focusing on drawing a blueprint for the education of the coming post-COVID-19 era. Specifically, JBU could adopt an online education system quickly because they have managed the online graduate school for 20 years. They also improved their offline education circumstances with the interaction between both campuses.
Kwon predicted that the education system for the post-COVID-19 era will need various forms for lectures that are based online. He said, “JBU is ready for the era. We made a system that is able to provide real-time online learning.”
During this interview, Kwon explained his aim is to develop students. I can feel his enthusiasm when he explained the school’s changes and improvements. He also emphasized that he wants to follow Seoae Ryu Seongryong’s leadership.
“Ryu Seongryong played a key role in preventing a great crisis by preparing for the war which had not happened yet. I see him as a role model as he studied hard and reflected on himself throughout the entirety of his life.”
He also thinks it will be important to realize the value of social profit in the future. So, he wants their students to have proper values to develop proper vocational philosophy and a sense of responsibility. “I want to give our students hope to build their own future by developing creative leadership,” he stated.
Joongbu University is going to strengthen the Inbound and Outbound system to make everyone speak at least three languages. The Inbound System is for the foreign students.
First, they are going to revamp the academic courses for foreign students. The revamped course will reach the foreign students’ needs more than before. They are going to simplify the complex courses to accommodate foreign students and develop the courses to learn Korean and computer skills. It will help them to apply for classes and graduate easily.
Second, they will expand bilingual lectures. It will provide opportunities for foreign students to study in both languages, their mother tongue, and Korean. JBU will recruit more foreign teachers to help foreign students adapt to the school rapidly and improve their learning satisfaction by reducing the difficulties of studying in foreign languages.
Third, JBU is going to set up a separate administrative department to manage complaints of foreign students. The students can get prominent and kind service from the department.
Fourth, with the foreign student body being gathered from over 40 countries it can form a cornerstone for making global networks. The network will be a great resource after they become a working member of society.
Fifth, they will provide foreign job counseling to their students. The counseling will help the students to get an employment visa from their freshman year. The students can improve their skills to get a job in Korea easily with the help of consulting.
The Outbound System is for Korean students providing various opportunities to study overseas. This system will help the students to improve their languages proficiency and their global competence. These opportunities will be provided to foreign students as well. Also, they will decide on a global specialized department to cooperate with post secondary institutions overseas.
Every student will be able to earn credits from overseas. This system will build a genuine global campus. These various programs will be based on the Chungcheong campus. Students from the Goyang Campus may also participate in the programs. Like this, JBU will utilize both campuses’ strengths.
Joongbu University operates programs in various languages and courses for foreign students, including Korean language training courses, English training courses, master’s and doctorate courses in English track, and master’s and doctorate courses in Chinese. They have the ambition to be a global university that can provide fine courses which every student can experience and feel.
Matthew Kwak
Asia Journal
