Queens College finalized an academic partnership with two prominent Korean universities, Korea University and Kyung Hee University for a collective exchange program.
The Office of Global Education Initiatives and the Research Center for Korean Community held a press conference at QC on October 15, announcing the establishment, Korean American Data Bank reported.
The program entails an equal student exchange between QC and the two universities. Any student under CUNY can register their courses and pay the tuition through QC and study at either universities.
Pyong Gap Min, Distinguished Professor of Sociology, initiated the program last year. QC already established student exchange programs with other Asian countries such as China and Japan, but lacked a Korean partnership. Min talked to Helen Gaudette, the director of Global Education Initiative, about possible opportunities.
“QC’s high-ranking administrators, especially Provost [Elizabeth] Hendrey, had recognized the importance of global education and supported our initiative to establish exchange programs with one or two universities in Korea,” Min said.
QC’s global partnerships are key to internationalizing the campus and educating QC students to be global citizens, according to Global Education Initiatives.
In October 2014, Min and Gaudette visited Seoul, Korea, in search of a partnership. Min selected Korean University and Kyung Hee University as ideal choices because both are top-ranked universities that are strong in globalization. They also have the “best campuses.”
“We visited the two universities and the director of international education in both universities were enthusiastic about creating exchange programs with our college,” Min said.
QC already sent ten students to Korea University on exchange and will host two exchange students from Kyung Hee University in spring 2016.
The program also offers a six-week summer school in Korea. If a QC student participates in the summer program, three QC students will count as one Korean student studying at QC for one semester.
He also encouraged Korean students at QC to visit each university during the summer for roots and heritage education as both institutions offer “excellent dormitory with very reasonable price.”
“Both universities have excellent international summer schools where all the courses are taught by English-speaking faculty members,” Min said.
