Soonchunhyang University launches college dedicated to int'l students

Soonchunhyang University President Song Byeong-kug, center, poses with students from the university's newly established international college freshmen during an entrance ceremony at the university’s campus in South Chungcheong Province, March 3. Courtesy of Soonchunhyang University

Soonchunhyang University announced Thursday that it will establish a new college dedicated exclusively to international students as part of a broader overhaul of its education system to cultivate global talent.

The new college will operate as an independent academic unit exclusively for international students, with its own curriculum and administrative system rather than placing foreign students across existing departments.

The college will offer several specialized majors for international students, including undeclared major programs, global health, global industrial engineering and global sports management.

The program will adopt a phased curriculum that integrates Korean-language instruction with major coursework across each academic year.

The initiative will also align with the university’s strategic focus on AI-driven medical convergence.

Leveraging its biomedical research infrastructure, affiliated hospitals and industry partnerships, the university plans to expand global programs in fields such as health care, medicine and industrial engineering. It aims to collaborate with local companies to train international students in line with regional workforce needs.

The university also plans to build a talent pipeline linking education with employment and long-term settlement in the region after graduation.

In addition, the university refined its international recruitment strategy by region, targeting Central Asia, Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia through partnerships with overseas universities and educational institutions.

With the launch of the new college and the introduction of additional graduate programs, the university aims to attract about 3,000 international students over the next five years.

Support systems will also be expanded to help students adjust to life in Korea, including Korean language and cultural education programs as well as campus adaptation support and career counseling.

“By operating a college dedicated to international students, we aim to strengthen our global education competitiveness and build a talent development system linked to regional industries,” Soonchunhyang University President Song Byeong-kug said. “Our goal is to establish a new model of internationalized education centered on AI-driven medical convergence.”