University of Seoul's Extracurricular Festa offers hands-on extracurricular experiences
University officials, professors and students pose at an awards ceremony during the 6th Extracurricular Festa at the University of Seoul on Sept. 22. Courtesy of the University of Seoul
University seeks to balance academic courses, extracurricular programs
The University of Seoul hosted the 6th Extracurricular Festa at its campus on Sept. 22, offering students opportunities to experience a variety of extracurricular programs.
The university said the annual event is its signature extracurricular education festival, where students can experience diverse extracurricular programs firsthand and share their achievements.
“We will continue to strengthen our extracurricular programs so that students can take initiative in their learning and gain practical experience,” Won Yong-kul, president of the university, said. “We will do our utmost to establish a student-centered education system.”
This year’s event featured promotional and hands-on booths for extracurricular programs, an awards ceremony recognizing achievements in extracurricular activities and a prize drawing for students who visited the booths.
Twenty booths were set up to allow students to explore a wide range of areas, including academic majors, career paths, employment and personal development.
One of the featured booths promoted Seoul Software Academy University Plus, the university’s youth employment academy program.
Another booth offered an assessment and hands-on experience to help students identify their personalized multiple-major options.
The university also ran a booth where students could create an artificial intelligence convergence playlist linked to microdegree programs.
The university said the booths drew considerable interest from students.
Students visit booths at the Centennial Memorial Hall on the University of Seoul campus during the 6th Extracurricular Festa on Sept. 22. Courtesy of the University of Seoul
The festival also featured an awards ceremony recognizing excellence in extracurricular programs. Ten outstanding departments that contributed to student growth through the development and operation of extracurricular programs were recognized for their achievements.
Twenty-five student teams received awards for their achievements in a problem-solving project, in which students identified problems and explored solutions, and a short-form video contest highlighting their journeys of learning and growth through challenges and failures.
The university said it will continue to focus on creating an educational environment that balances academic courses and extracurricular programs.