InterviewJesuit roots, global classrooms: Sogang University welcomes world

Sogang University President Sim Jong-hyeok speaks during an interview at the university in Mapo District, Seoul, Aug. 14. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Sogang University, Korea’s only Jesuit institution of higher learning, cultivates a campus culture grounded in personal care. Its “friend-to-friend” ethos permeates daily life, shaping interactions and becoming a defining feature of the university’s identity.

Founded in 1960, Sogang University emerged from postwar discussions among Catholic bishops who viewed higher education as vital to the nation’s reconstruction. Supported by the Society of Jesus, the university was built on a strong international network, giving it a distinctly global outlook from the start.

"From the very beginning, Sogang was built on an international network," Sogang University President Sim Jong-hyeok said during an interview with The Korea Times. "That foundation enabled many of our early graduates to pursue careers on the global stage, fueling the school’s rapid growth — a model that continues to guide our internationalization strategy today."

Leveraging its global Jesuit network, the university has built active exchange channels with universities abroad, especially in the United States, including Boston College and Georgetown University. These partnerships have opened doors for students to study overseas while fueling cross-border research collaboration among faculty.

In addition, five Jesuit universities in Asia — Sophia University in Japan, Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan and Sanata Dharma University in Indonesia — have formed a consortium with Sogang to jointly run the Global Leadership Program and the Service Learning Program every summer, helping students strengthen their global competencies.

Participants of Global Leadership Program, a joint program of Jesuit universities in Asia, pose during this year's program at Sophia University in Japan, Aug. 8. Courtesy of Sogang University

Sim further emphasized that what sets Sogang apart is not simply the breadth of its international exchanges, but the university’s distinctive culture of personal care.

He noted that the institution is committed to fostering an environment where both Korean and international students feel individually supported through school-level programs, but also through a campus culture where students welcome one another like friends, offering cooperation and support.

"The spirit of generosity and warmth that defined Ricci’s legacy is also at the heart of the university," Sim said, drawing a parallel to Matteo Ricci, the 16th century Jesuit missionary and scholar who gained the trust of China’s imperial court through cultural adaptation and academic excellence. "In that same spirit, we work to ensure foreign professors and students feel welcomed and are able to settle quickly into both Sogang and Korean culture."

In line with this spirit, the university became the first institution in the country to sign a memorandum of understanding with the International Educational Guardian Association in June. Under the agreement, the university is preparing a range of multilayered guardianship services for international students, including psychological assessments, emergency accompaniment during crises and counseling support.

A pilot program is set to begin in the second half of this year, with systematic preparations already underway.

Sogang University President Sim Jong-hyeok, left, participates in an International Association of Jesuit Universities event at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia, June 30. Courtesy of Sogang University

"With the recent increase in international students, the need for a professional and sustainable support system has become more pressing — particularly to address emotional isolation, difficulties with language and cultural adaptation and crises that may arise in daily life," Sim said. "For those studying in Korea without a local guardian, it is often difficult to receive stable and timely assistance when facing psychological challenges or emergency situations."

Sogang University is recognized for having relatively strong safety measures and insurance coverage in place for international students.

During the Itaewon disaster in 2022, which claimed 160 lives, a student from the university’s Korean Language Education Center was among the victims. While many bereaved families of foreign victims faced confusion and delays due to complicated procedures, the student’s family was spared such difficulties thanks to the center’s insurance plan, which covered airfare and repatriation costs.

The university emphasizes that this kind of personal care extends not only to degree-seeking students but also to those enrolled in short-term language programs.

"Through this agreement, we expect to move beyond basic administrative assistance and provide support that is more systematic, attentive and tailored to individual needs, while also ensuring students are prepared to cope with unforeseen risks in everyday life," Sim said.

International students from Sogang University wear traditional Korean hanbok during a field trip to Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Sept. 17, 2024. Courtesy of Sogang University

While Sogang embraces its identity as Korea’s first and only Jesuit institution of higher education, the university is also advancing innovation, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence. To build digital literacy across campus, courses have been designed so that every student — regardless of major — can learn coding and apply AI tools within their field of study.

The university plans to introduce 25 new AI-SW (software) convergence tracks for non-IT majors, while also expanding existing programs. Currently, the university operates seven AI-SW interdisciplinary majors and 19 micro-majors, giving students broader opportunities to develop AI expertise.

The university is also fostering a future-oriented model of higher education by encouraging both students and faculty to cross traditional boundaries. It encourages students to design and combine majors in ways that reflect their own academic interests, fostering a culture of creative interdisciplinary study.

"We believe it is important to give undergraduates the structure and support to design their own convergence majors and carry out research," Sim said.

Taking this a step further, the university established the Sogang-Pangyo Digital Innovation Campus in Pangyo, a city just south of Seoul that is widely regarded as Korea’s Silicon Valley, to strengthen collaboration between universities and industry. The campus provides a platform where students and faculty work alongside IT firms, advanced technology companies and startups to develop industrial innovations and nurture new ventures.

Faculty members are also encouraged to pursue secondary areas of study and promote interdisciplinary research as part of a future-oriented model of higher education. Supporting this effort, it also became the first university in Korea to allow professors to hold concurrent positions on campus, a system designed to enhance flexibility and drive innovation in both teaching and research.

"Sogang University is striving to transcend academic boundaries, creating new value and innovation while strengthening global competencies," Sim said. "Our goal is to grow as an institution that not only achieves academic excellence, but also fosters collective progress and contributes to society and humanity."

Graphic by Cho Sang-won