For his June 17th article appearing in the Seoul Economic Daily, Gwak Kyung-ho met with Dr. Jekuk Chang, President of DSU, to discuss the university’s top 50 internationalization ranking and other recent developments at Dongseo University. The following are excerpts translated from the original article.
Dr. Jekuk Chang is among the youngest university presidents in Korea, and DSU is itself one of the youngest universities in Korea, having celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. However, during this short period of time, DSU has made significant accomplishments through establishing many top-rate programs and building state-of-the-art facilities.
DSU was recently recognized by the British company Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) and the Chosun Ilbo as one of the top 50 Internationalized Universities in Asia. DSU was the only university to make the list from Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam province.
Dr. Jekuk Chang said that the key to becoming a recognized university in such a short time is to have a clear vision for the future. One of the visions he has for DSU, which was shared by Former President Park Dong Soon, involves expanding the scope of DSU’s internationalization and developing specialized programs.
To accomplish these objectives, DSU has established academic cooperation agreements with 137 universities in 33 countries and has also established a branch campus in the U.S. as well as the joint Korea-China International Educational Institute in China. In addition, DSU has many joint degree programs with universities in Germany and Lithuania; offers Study Abroad Programs (SAP) in America and China; sends students annually to North America as part of its Honor Society program; and is a founding member of the Asia Summer Program (ASP), which DSU will host this year.
Dr. Jekuk Chang emphasized that these achievements were possible because a young university is not afraid of embracing innovation and change, adding that a young university gains strength by specializing in high-tech areas with great potential. Recently, DSU opened a new Centum Campus in Haeundae to which the Im Kwon Taek College of Film & Performing Arts has relocated. The proximity of the new campus to the Busan Cinema Center, the Busan Cinema Complex, and the Busan Community Media Center, is ideal for creating a synergistic network in the areas of film and the performing arts.