Dankook University President An Soon-cheol speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the school's Jukjeon campus in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Feb. 23. Korea Time photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Dankook University is gearing up for a transformation with new visions of strengthening global educational competitiveness and contributing to societal advancement.

An Soon-cheol, the university's president, outlined Dankook's strategic initiative during a recent interview with The Korea Times.

The initiative, dubbed "Dankook Upgrade 5.0," aims to drive innovation within the university, responding to swift shifts in society, such as the increase in international student enrollment and the spread of ideas to foster a sustainable society.

"Drawing upon the amassed capabilities of the university, 'Upgrade 5.0' signifies a pivotal development phase, aligning the institution with new visions amid the evolving era," An said.

The university underwent its first pivotal transition starting from its establishment in 1947 as Korea's first four-year private college after the Japanese colonial era. The second transition ensued with the college securing authorization to operate as a university. The third momentous change transpired with the establishment of a local campus in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and the fourth took place when the Hannam campus in Seoul relocated to Jukjeon in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

Foreign students attending Dankook University's international summer school, which took place from June to August last year, pose at the university's campus. Courtesy of Dankook University

In the pursuit of its fifth innovative change, the final piece to the Dankook Upgrade 5.0, the university has introduced the PRIMUS International College, aiming to provide a high-quality curriculum to attract both domestic and international students.

It is designed to offer courses tailored for Korean and international students, presenting an English and Korean tracks.

"Ensuring the quality of programs is crucial for universities in educating international students. At Dankook, we are trying to assist them in various aspects of their studies such as overcoming the language barrier, so students can successfully complete their studies," An said.

For international students opting for the Korean track, a year of Korean language classes will be preceded before entering their major coursework, ensuring proficiency and ease in subsequent classes.

The English track, on the other hand, delivers Korean studies in English, aligning with Korea's growing prominence on the global stage. It also provides other courses such as International Business Administration, Mobile System Engineering, and Interdisciplinary Bio and Materials Engineering majors in English.

Dankook University President An Soon-cheol speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the school's Jukjeon campus in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Feb. 23. Korea Time photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Beyond enhancing global educational competitiveness, the university seeks to elevate its overall value by supporting its competitive departments.

"Out of the roughly 80 departments and study units at Dankook University, we plan to strategically focus on 20 departments and study units in order to help them solidify their competitiveness," An said.

The university plans to select 10 departments showing competitive prowess by ranking the top five in an inter-university competition in Korea. Additionally, the university aims to select another 10 departments that have the potential for growth.

In a bid to bolster competitiveness and maintain a high standard, the university will provide support to selected departments. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to elevate Dankook University's brand value by establishing these selected departments as key representatives of the university.

The academic impact of each department and its social influence will be considered, while selecting the targeted departments. This includes departments with traditionally prestigious programs as well as those taking the initiative focusing on advanced science.

"As universities are ranked based predominantly on students' College Scholastic Ability Test scores, each school has difficult time showing which departments are leading programs of the school," An said.

"Through this initiative, we aim to end this trend by enhancing the competitiveness of departments that serve as the representative of the university."

An Soon-cheol, center, the president of Dankook University, poses with representatives of students, professors and school personnel during an event declaring Dankook University SDGs action at the school's Jukjeon campus in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Feb. 19. Courtesy of Dankook University

An also underscored the significance of the university's capacities for societal contributions.

Aligned with the university's commitment to society, a dedicated committee, called "Dankook SDGs," has been established to spearhead research and programs for sustainable development.

The committee aims to actively seek ways to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes 17 goals for the peace and prosperity of humanity and the planet.

The university is trying to fulfill its social responsibilities dedicated to research on global issues such as the environment, energy, poverty and food. Additionally, efforts are being made to enhance education related to these issues for students.

An acknowledged the limitations of current university evaluations and expressed the aspiration to reshape Dankook University through the comprehensive policies of "Dankook Upgrade 5.0."

"The Jukjeon campus envisions development by aligning closely with the numerous IT and semiconductor companies prevalent in its vicinity. And in Cheonan, the campus surroundings form a bioscience hub with medical, dental and pharmaceutical schools, creating a bio-belt, which can help the university make progress in these fields," An said.

"We aim to unfold policies that tangibly benefit students, and enhance the university's external standing at the same time."