Sejong University is a private university located in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The history of Sejong University dates to 1940 when a trust established the Kyung Sung Humanities Institute. In 1978, the academy was named Sejong University in honor of Sejong the Great, the fourth king of the Chosun Dynasty and overseer of the Korean alphabet Hangeul.

Sejong University has nine colleges and nine graduate schools: College of Liberal Arts, College of Social Sciences, College of Social Sciences, College of Business Administration, College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, College of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of Electronics and Information Engineering, College of Engineering, and College of Arts and Physical Education.

Sejong University is particularly well known for its strong standing in hotel management, animation and rhythmic gymnastics. The College of Arts and Physical Education and the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management are top ranked in the country.

Beginnings (1940–1987)

The history of Sejong University began in May 1940 when the Kyung Sung Humanities Institute was founded by Dr. Youngha Choo. In 1947 this institute grew into the Seoul Women Teachers' Institute, with Dr. Choo as its first Director; the following year it was reorganized and became a junior college. In 1954 this school became Soodo Women Teachers' College. This college became a four-year institution in 1961 and in 1962 moved to its present campus in Kunja-dong. In 1966 the Graduate School was established. In 1973, the Soodo Museum (now Sejong University Museum), established to house the founders' collection of Korean antiquities, opened its doors to the public. In 1979 Soodo Women Teachers' College changed its name to Sejong College and admitted male undergraduates for the first time.

1987-2000

In October 1987 Sejong College grew into Sejong University, consisting of five colleges with an enrollment of 6,000 students. In 1996, Dr. Choo Myung-Gun became Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Since that time the university has steadily expanded its academic programs and facilities. That year saw the establishment of two new graduate schools (the Graduate School of Information and Communication and the Graduate School of Education) and four new engineering departments (Electronic Engineering, Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, and the evening division of Computer Engineering), as well as a Ph.D. program in Hotel Management and master's programs in Public Administration, Applied Statistics, and Computer Engineering. Total enrollment rose to over 7,000 by the fall semester of 1997 and since then enrollment has increased by about 1,000 new students each year. In 1998 the College of Tourism and the department of Biological Engineering were founded. Construction began on five new buildings, including the Library, the Chapel, and the engineering laboratories. In 1999 three new graduate schools were added: Software Engineering, Science and Technology, and Performance Art Administration. The Materials Engineering department was established. As a result of a cooperative agreement with Lockheed Martin Aerospace, the Sejong-Lockheed Martin Aerospace Research Center was founded to promote the development of the Korean aerospace industry, and similar agreements to cooperate in the development of science and technology were made with Hanaro Communication, Hansol PCS, Onse Communication, and Prime Company. In 2000 the Graduate Schools of Film Art and Techno Design were founded; the Graduate School of Business Administration became the Graduate School of Global Business Administration; the College of Tourism became the College of Hotels and Tourism. The new Library opened, housing more than 400,000 volumes; it is the first WTO library in Korea.

2001-2010

In 2001 a collaborative relationship was established with the Korea Science and Culture Foundation. Two new programs taught entirely in English opened: an M.A program in Asian Studies, and a Global M.B.A. program operated jointly by Sejong University and Syracuse University in the United States. In January 2002 a University Development Advisory Board, composed of the CEOs of 30 major Korean firms, was founded to strengthen the university's ties to industry. In 2002 the education Reform Deliberation Commission officially awarded Sejong University for successfully restructuring and renovating university. In 2004 the Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development recognized Sejong University for excellence in promoting originality, innovation, and academic achievement. In 2007 the Graduate School of Business received certification from the Association of Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business. In 2010 Sejong University stated its intention to be ranked as Global Top 100 University in its Vision for 2020.

Schools and Departments

Sejong University has nine undergraduate colleges and forty-four departments:

College of Liberal Arts Korean Language and Literature English Language and Literature Japanese Language and Literature History Education Asian Studies (for International Students) College of Social Sciences Economics and Trade Public Administration Communication Art Chinese Studies College of Business Administration Business Administration College of Hospitality and Tourism Management Hospitality Management Tourism Management Culinary and Food Service Management College of Natural Sciences Mathematics Applied Mathematics Physics Astronomy and Space Science Chemistry Environment and Energy College of Food Science and Biotechnology Biotechnology Engineering Food Science and Technology Molecular Biology College of Electronics and Information Engineering Electronics Engineering Information and Communication Engineering Optical Engineering Computer Science and Engineering Digital Contents College of Engineering Architectural Engineering Architecture Civil and Environmental Engineering Geoinformation Engineering Energy and Mineral Resource Engineering Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering Advanced Materials Engineering Nanoscience Technology College of Arts and Physical Education Painting Industrial Design Fashion Design Music Physical Education Dance Cartoon and Animation Film Art

Graduate Schools

• Graduate School of Business
• Graduate School of Policy Science
• Graduate School of Education
• Graduate School of Tourism
• Graduate School of Performing Arts
• Sejong Graduate School of Culture, Art & Content
• Graduate School of Urban Real Estate
• Graduate School of Industry
• Graduate School of Asian Studies (for International Students)

International Programs

• Exchange Student Programs
• Dual Degree Programs (The University of Winchester, UK; Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China)
• Joint Sejong-Syracuse MBA Program (Syracuse University, United States)
• Summer Program (Johnson & Wales University, United States)
• Short-term Language Program (Maryl Hurst University,United States;The University of Winchester, UK)

Research

In recent years, Sejong University has consolidated its reputation as a research-driven university. The University has recently announced an ambitious plan to build a state-of-the-art research complex consisting of the Green Energy Research Institute (GERI) and the Plant Engineering Research Institute (PERI) in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do. The University also has invested heavily in attracting and retaining outstanding faculty and researchers and increased research spending in the past decade.

In 2002, the Ministry of Science and Technology named the University’s Astrophysical Research Center for the Structure & Evolution of the Cosmos (ARCSEC) as the Best New Research Institute and awarded a research grant of 9 billion won over a 9 year period.
In 2007, the October issue of Molecular Cell

Molecular Cell

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 published the groundbreaking article by Dr. Soo-Jong Um and his research team entitled, “Active Regulator of SIRT1 Cooperates with SIRT1 and Facilitates Suppression of p53 Activity.” The article describes a nuclear protein and active regulator SIRT1 (AROS). AROS is the first direct SIRT1 regulator to be identified to be modulating p53-mediated growth regulation.

In 2009, Dr. Jaewoo Lee of the Department of Astronomy and Space Science and his team published a paper in Nature entitled, “Enrichment by supernovae in globular clusters with multiple populations”, explaining the process of the formation of globular clusters. He also became the first South Korean scientist to win the right to use NASA’s Hubble Telescope in 2010.
In 2009, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology selected the University’s Biotechnology Engineering Department as one of the select recipients of funding of 1.2 billion won over a 5-year period to undertake a research project to develop a groundbreaking technology. If successful, the new technology will allow dedifferentiating (reversing cell development) completely differentiated cells to turn them into stem cells, which will enable patients to use their own cells to repair, for example, their damaged liver.

In May 2010, Sejong University was named a Resource Development Specialization University by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy under the government’s initiative to develop a large pool of specialists in overseas resource development. The University will receive a funding of 10 billion won from the government to develop and train resource specialists. The Department of Energy and Mineral Resource Engineering has been added to further consolidate its leading position in resource development research in the country. The Department offers three majors: Climate Change Policy, Climate Change Science, and Climate Change Engineering.
In September 2010, Graphene Research Institute of Sejong University was selected as one of
the Priority Research Centers funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea under
the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and will receive a funding of 4.9 billion
won over 9 years.
In October 2010, Sejong University signed an MOU with Syngenta AG

Syngenta

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, a leading global Swiss agribusiness company, to develop new innovative breeds and research talents.

In December 2010, Dr. Sung-Eun Kim of the Department of Astronomy and Space Science was named as one of the Female Scientists of the Year by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea. She received the recognition for her continued contribution to science, which includes 60-odd papers on the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Rankings and recognition

In 2010, MoEST named Sejong University one of the Best Universities in Educational Reform.

In April 2007, the University’s Business Administration Department became the fourth AACSB (the Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business) accredited business school in the country, following Seoul National University, Korea University and KAIST.

In 2001, JoongAng Daily, one of the country’s premier dailies, chose Sejong the “Most Remarkably Improved” university among 123 universities in South Korea. The Daily also ranked the University at No. 16 overall in its 2002 University Listing. In 2008, the University was ranked No. 9 by the Daily among universities without medical schools and No. 4 in Faculty Research Accomplishments.

In the QS Asian University Rankings 2010: Top 200, Sejong University was ranked 181st among universities in Asia and 39th in Korea.

Campus

Sejong University’s beautifully wooded 118,262 m2 campus is located at 98 Gunja-dong, Gwangjin-gu, in the northeastern part of Seoul, the capital of South Korea. Located directly across from the Seoul Children’s Grand Park, the campus consists of 23 buildings, including the Sejong Private Elementary School building and the Student Center with a sleek, modern exterior, which has been added in 2010. The campus is a showcase of buildings built in Korean traditional styles emphasizing tranquil, graceful beauty and the ones built in modern styles existing in perfect harmony.

The campus can be conveniently accessed by public transport:

• Metro Subway Line No. 7, Exit No. 6
• Local bus lines: Blue bus No. 721; green bus Nos. 119, 3216 and 4212: Children’s Grand Park stop; Blue bus Nos. 240 & 320; green bus Nos. 2012, 2013, 2222, 3217 & 3220: HwaYangRi stop.

The Sejong University Museum

Located at the eastern end of the campus, the Sejong University Museum exhibits a vast collection of artifacts and antiques collected over a period of more than 40 years by the founders of the University. They have all been donated to the University for the purpose of academic research. The history of the museum dates back to 1959. The museum has moved to its current location in 1979, when the collection moved from its original location at the ChoongMooRo campus. Unrivaled by any other university collections in the country both in terms of scale and academic value, the vast collection includes royal regalia, court dresses, personal ornaments, pendants, Korean traditional ink paintings, calligraphies and pottery. The museum is actively involved in various excavation projects. The museum is open for public and the admission is free.

Traditions and Student Activities

Sejong University was named after King Sejong the Great, the fourth king of the Chosun Dynasty, who has introduced hangul, the native phonetic alphabet system for the Korean language. Upholding the legacies of the great king who championed compassion for people and humanity, defended the country and his people from outside invasion attempts and promoted academic research, the University is committed to espousing humanistic values, emphasizing passion for knowledge and learning.
Sejong University offers over 90 different kinds of scholarships to its students, including the Sejong Scholarship. Student facilities include: 2,800-seat multi-purpose performance hall, main athletic field, sports complex, tennis courts, health clinic, restaurants, cafeteria, coffee shops, bank, post office, bookstore, stationery store, travel agency, etc.

• Dae Dong Je

Dae Dong Je is a university-wide festival held during the fourth week of May every year to celebrate the University’s birthday. With the entire Sejong community participating, the students celebrate with gusto through a variety of fun-packed events, including concerts, artistic performances, film festivals and exhibitions.

• Student Clubs

Students enjoy various activities, imbibe a sense of solidarity and camaraderie, and hone their skills in areas beyond their majors through 45 student clubs.

Alumni and Faculty

Through its history straddling four decades, Sejong University has produced numerous alumni, many of whom have achieved national and international recognition. They include:

• Guus Hiddink, a former Dutch footballer who led South Korea to a fourth place finish in the 2002 FIFA World Cup; received an honorary doctoral degree in physical education;
• Hyojin Gong, award-winning TV/film actress, film art major;
• Jun-Ik Lee, award-winning film director; best known for the chart-topping “The King and the Clown” and “Radio Star”;
• InYoung Sohn, award-winning dancer-choreographer;
• Soo Ji Shin, first rhythmic gymnast to win a medal at the Asian Championship on Rhythmic Gymnastics (2009);

In addition to many academically accomplished scholars, the University has many nationally renowned celebrities on faculty. They include:

• Hyun-Se Lee, Cartoon and Animation, one of the most accomplished and popular cartoonists in South Korea; received the Presidential Award for Cartoons; chairs the Korean Cartoonists Association; best known for Armageddon; Mythology of the Heavens; and Nambul: War Stories;
• Su-San Han, Korean Language & Literature, distinguished writer and author of a number of bestselling novels, including Bucho (English title: Floating Grass, 1977); Raven (2003); and For Forgiveness (2010);
• Soon-Jae Lee, Chair Professor, Film Art, award-winning TV/film actor; his versatility as an actor allows him to be equally convincing in comedies and dramas, both period and contemporary; best known for his award-winning role in High Kick! (2007);

Sejong University Library

Originally established in 1947, the Sejong University Library was renovated as a 12 story building in 2000. It houses over 840,000 books, 1,500 Journal subscriptions, 20,000 e-journals and 23,000 e-books in various subjects. It has reading rooms with 3,200 seats and group study areas. It is also the first WTO library in Korea.

Continuing Education Center

The Continuing Education Center at Sejong University complements the education provided by existing universities and offers open and life-long learning opportunities. It deals with Sejong Global Program for Studying Abroad, Specialized Program for Casino Dealer Course, Digital Contents, Culinary and Food Service Business, Hotel Business, Physical Education, Music (Piano) and runs a bachelor degree program based on Academic Credit Bank System.

Information Services & Technology Center

The Information Services & Technology Center (ITSC) provides information technology support and its related services for all Sejong students, faculty, and staff, working in partnership with academic and administration units to meet the need of a leading research university. Support and services include operation and maintenance of the IT infrastructure such as leading-edge wired and wireless networks, servers, etc., protection of administrative and academic systems and their essential data, and development and operation of the unified system of the university information technologies.

The Sejong International Language Institute

Sejong International Language Institute provides language programs for three languages: Korean, English and Chinese. The language programs being offered are as follows: Korean language programs at six levels (beginner's, Intermediate and advanced); English as Second language programs (English for Specific Purpose, English for Global Communication skills in Business, and English for Global leaders); Chinese language programs (Chinese Character class and Chinese for Communication skills in Business).