UCR president seeks exchanges in technology, science
By Chung Hyun-chae
The University of Costa Rica (UCR) has been stepping up its efforts to expand cooperation with Korean universities and institutions, especially in the sciences, said Henning Jensen Pennington, rector of the university.
"In recent years, Costa Rica's universities have been providing new programs in technology, science, engineering and research and development, all areas in which Korea has excelled," Jensen Pennington said. "The UCR is looking to further strengthen cooperation in these fields with Korean universities and institutions."
Jensen Pennington visited Seoul from Jan. 30 to Feb. 11 to meet the presidents of partner universities and institutions in order to strengthen academic cooperation.
The university has formed relationships with more than 100 universities worldwide, 10 of which are in Korea.
"Costa Rica is on the verge of becoming a developed country, but it has, as yet, not been successful in sufficiently linking knowledge and production, although our scientific institutions have an adequate potential for contributing in that direction," Jensen Pennington said.
"In this sense, there is a structural gap that we have to fill. We have a well-defined road map, but we still have to work on the conditions of a more productive convergence."
He added that Costa Rica has made much effort to improve the infrastructure of their schools to strengthen their teaching of science and foreign languages.
Founded as a public university in Costa Rica, Central America, in 1940, UCR is among the top 10 universities in Latin America.
Having six campuses and diverse experimental farms and biological reserves, the UCR has hosted a lot of international scientific conferences.
The university ranked 18th among Latin American universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings in 2016.
"It is without a doubt that UCR is the most important institution of higher education in Central America and the Caribbean. Its reputation is outstanding due to the fact that it is responsible for the highest number of scientific publications and academic citations in its region," Jensen Pennington said.
According to the rector, UCR conducts approximately 60 percent of the scientific projects in Costa Rica, as well as publishing 25 percent of all scientific papers published in Central America.
About 42,000 students are enrolled in more than 250 programs from the humanities to medicine, computing and engineering.
"Our students actively participate in community outreach activities, which altogether amount to one million hours per year of volunteer work," the rector said.
Expansion of Korean and East Asian studies programs
The university launched the Chair of Korean Studies in 2012 after Laura Chinchilla, former president of UCR, visited Korea.
The Korea Foundation and the Academy of Korean Studies have funded the program.
The purpose of creating the program is to teach the Korean language and to organize conferences and lectures with visiting Korean scholars on culture, politics, economics and the arts.
"Korea is a major world player in many different aspects, and it evolved to this position in a relatively short period of time. This pertains not only to its economic development, but also to its democratic system," Jensen Pennington said.
He stressed that the program has been in high demand, which is why UCR is seeking to restructure itself into a more ample program.
"We plan to establish a master's program in Korean studies," Jensen Pennington said.
According to him, the university also plans to expand the existing program to Central America and the Caribbean and to foster cooperation in high-tech fields.
"Our academic diplomacy also aims at being a sound basis to promote economic relations."
UCR's other plan is to publish an academic journal about Korean and East Asian studies in Spanish.
"The journal will be the first of its kind in the Spanish speaking world," the rector said.
By Chung Hyun-chae
 |
The University of Costa Rica Rector Henning Jensen Pennington, right, talks with Korea University President Yeom Jae-ho at the Korean university's campus in northern Seoul, Feb. 10, when Jensen Pennington visited there to discuss ways of expanding cooperation between the two schools. / Courtesy of Korea University |
The University of Costa Rica (UCR) has been stepping up its efforts to expand cooperation with Korean universities and institutions, especially in the sciences, said Henning Jensen Pennington, rector of the university.
"In recent years, Costa Rica's universities have been providing new programs in technology, science, engineering and research and development, all areas in which Korea has excelled," Jensen Pennington said. "The UCR is looking to further strengthen cooperation in these fields with Korean universities and institutions."
Jensen Pennington visited Seoul from Jan. 30 to Feb. 11 to meet the presidents of partner universities and institutions in order to strengthen academic cooperation.
The university has formed relationships with more than 100 universities worldwide, 10 of which are in Korea.
"Costa Rica is on the verge of becoming a developed country, but it has, as yet, not been successful in sufficiently linking knowledge and production, although our scientific institutions have an adequate potential for contributing in that direction," Jensen Pennington said.
"In this sense, there is a structural gap that we have to fill. We have a well-defined road map, but we still have to work on the conditions of a more productive convergence."
He added that Costa Rica has made much effort to improve the infrastructure of their schools to strengthen their teaching of science and foreign languages.
Founded as a public university in Costa Rica, Central America, in 1940, UCR is among the top 10 universities in Latin America.
Having six campuses and diverse experimental farms and biological reserves, the UCR has hosted a lot of international scientific conferences.
The university ranked 18th among Latin American universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings in 2016.
"It is without a doubt that UCR is the most important institution of higher education in Central America and the Caribbean. Its reputation is outstanding due to the fact that it is responsible for the highest number of scientific publications and academic citations in its region," Jensen Pennington said.
According to the rector, UCR conducts approximately 60 percent of the scientific projects in Costa Rica, as well as publishing 25 percent of all scientific papers published in Central America.
About 42,000 students are enrolled in more than 250 programs from the humanities to medicine, computing and engineering.
"Our students actively participate in community outreach activities, which altogether amount to one million hours per year of volunteer work," the rector said.
Expansion of Korean and East Asian studies programs
The university launched the Chair of Korean Studies in 2012 after Laura Chinchilla, former president of UCR, visited Korea.
The Korea Foundation and the Academy of Korean Studies have funded the program.
The purpose of creating the program is to teach the Korean language and to organize conferences and lectures with visiting Korean scholars on culture, politics, economics and the arts.
"Korea is a major world player in many different aspects, and it evolved to this position in a relatively short period of time. This pertains not only to its economic development, but also to its democratic system," Jensen Pennington said.
He stressed that the program has been in high demand, which is why UCR is seeking to restructure itself into a more ample program.
"We plan to establish a master's program in Korean studies," Jensen Pennington said.
According to him, the university also plans to expand the existing program to Central America and the Caribbean and to foster cooperation in high-tech fields.
"Our academic diplomacy also aims at being a sound basis to promote economic relations."
UCR's other plan is to publish an academic journal about Korean and East Asian studies in Spanish.
"The journal will be the first of its kind in the Spanish speaking world," the rector said.
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