A year in, Dankook University’s president targets student satisfaction and global reach

A year into his term, Dankook University President An Soon-cheol has been focusing on improving student satisfaction and laying the groundwork to attract more international students.

Dankook University President An SoonCheol talks during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily. [JOONGANG ILBO]

A year into his term, Dankook University President An SoonCheol has been focusing on improving student satisfaction and laying the groundwork to attract more international students.

For An, a university's prestige is determined by the satisfaction of its students.

He has been working to enhance student satisfaction, even personally reviewing all student feedback submitted through Dankook University's website.

One complaint was that the desks used at the Jukjeon campus in Yongin, Gyeonggi, were too uncomfortable for studying. In response, the university replaced half of the 10,000 desks with new ones this year.

With three years remaining in his term, An's other goal is to enhance the university's global competitiveness.

One upcoming change is the establishment of PRIMUS International College, set to open in the 2025 academic year.

The college will host various English-track programs for international students, offering classes in English. There will also be Korean-track programs taught in Korean, with additional support for Korean language learning to assist international students.

"We will use PRIMUS International College's educational infrastructure to strengthen exchange student programs with overseas universities and pursue more opportunities such as dual degree programs," said President An. "We will also introduce more international curricula and extracurricular programs, invite faculty from overseas universities and facilitate more academic exchanges."

The JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, sat down with President An at the university's Jukjeon campus to discuss the university's plans to achieve its goals.

The following are excerpts from the interview, edited for length and clarity.

Students participating in Dankook University's international summer school pose for a photo in 2023 [DANKOOK UNIVERSITY]

Q: Dankook University will open the PRIMUS International College next year, aiming to attract more international students and enhance its global competitiveness. How is the college unique?

A:PRIMUS International College offers both English-track and Korean-track programs. The International Business Administration, Mobile Systems Engineering, Korea Studies and Interdisciplinary Bio and Materials Engineering programs are part of the English track, with the entire undergraduate program taught in English. There are also elective courses taught in English, allowing both international and Korean students to receive a global education in an international environment.

We will also support international students who wish to enroll in Korean-track programs by offering them Korean language courses and foundation courses for their major under the Global Core Education School during their first year at the university. After that year, students will begin studying in their desired majors. One of the Korean-track majors is the Acting and Filmmaking program. By creating an international student-only film and theater program in a field where Dankook University has traditionally excelled, we will offer students the opportunity to learn about Korean media.

Dankook University's Jukjeon campus in Yongin, Gyeonggi [DANKOOK UNIVERSITY]

You mentioned that a prestigious university is one where students are satisfied. What changes have you introduced to ensure student satisfaction?

It's hard to deny that students choose their university based on their scores. However, it's the university's responsibility to ensure that students actually feel how the university helped them grow during their four years and be satisfied with the education provided.

It's important to create an environment where students want to stay on campus. Campuses are not just learning environments — they are also places where students study independently, interact with each other and grow. We built resting areas in unused spaces, creating the outdoor library "Beartopia" and a walkway. We've also implemented policies to innovate our education system.

And increasing the quota for undecided major students is one of the upcoming changes?

Starting with the 2025 academic year, one-third of our admissions quota will be reserved for undecided majors. Offering more undecided programs aims to give students the ability to choose the academic field they want to study in. In Korean university admissions, students often enter university without fully understanding their abilities or areas of interest, and [increasing the number of undecided majors] is a policy that's needed in our society.

Students try "Dan.i," Dankook University's AI chat bot that recommends students relevant information about university life depending on their areas of interest. [DANKOOK UNIVERSITY]

How has the university been using AI to benefit students?

Dankook University is the first Korean university to implement an AI-based [chatbot] system that provides information about university life. "Dan.i" uses AI to analyze students' areas of interest and offers relevant information that would be helpful to them. Additionally, our academic information and student help centers are integrated through the AI system, allowing students to get answers to their questions and suggestions without having to visit the relevant offices.

Increasing the medical school quota is another big change for universities. How will that affect the university's admission plans?

With the increase, the admissions quota for our medical school will rise from 40 to 120 for the 2025 academic year. This is significant because it means we have secured an adequate work force to fulfill the role of a local medical institution. We will admit 80 out of the total quota of 120 for the 2025 academic year, taking into account relevant government policies and current situations. Starting with the 2026 academic year, we will select 120 students, with more than 60 percent admitted through the regional talent track [which allows only students graduating from high schools in the region to apply for the medical schools in that region].

━ President's bio

An SoonCheol is the 19th president of Dankook University, with his four-year term beginning in August 2023. He started teaching as a professor at Dankook University's Department of Political Science and International Relations in 1997, serving various roles such as the Executive Vice President for External Affairs. An completed his undergraduate studies in political science and international relations at Dankook University, earning a master's in political science at Oklahoma State University and a Ph.D. in the same field at the University of Missouri.

BY CHEON KWON-PIL, LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]