Underwood International College

Underwood International College, Yonsei University was founded in 2006 as a constituent college of Yonsei University. Based in Seoul and Incheon, South Korea,[7] it is the first and only liberal arts college in the country that has all classes conducted in English.[8]

Underwood International College, Yonsei University
언더우드 국제대학 (hangeul) 언더우드國際大學 (hanja)
Motto진리가 너희를 자유케 하리라 (요한복음 8:32) (Korean)
Motto in English
The truth will set you free (John 8:32)
TypePrivate, Undergraduate
Established2005
AffiliationChristian (Protestant)[1]
BudgetUS$2.8 billion (university-wide, as of 2011)[2]
DeanTaeyoon Sung
Academic staff
102
Administrative staff
10
Location
Seoul and Incheon
,
South Korea
CampusUrban

250 acres (Sinchon Campus)[3]

152 acres (Int'l Campus)[4]
ColoursRoyal blue[5]     
AffiliationsYonsei University
MascotEagle[6]
Websiteuic.yonsei.ac.kr

History

Underwood International College, Yonsei University accepted its inaugural class in March 2006. Its first dean was Professor Jongryn Mo. Earlier, in October 2004, the President of Yonsei University had appointed Mo as Chairman of the "University Committee for New International College", and Mo contributed significantly to the early development of the institution.[9]

In 2012, Underwood International College, Yonsei University housed the new Asian Studies and Techno-Art programmes. It has since expanded to include the Integrated Social Sciences Division, to make up the comprehensive interdisciplinary Humanities and Social Sciences Field.

Overview

The college is the first and only liberal arts college in the Republic of Korea, and the only college at Yonsei University to conduct all classes in English.[8] It has small classes taught by over 100 Korean and international faculty, many who hold an undergraduate and/or graduate degree from an Ivy League and/or Oxbridge university.[10] For the class of 2013, the college received 1,713 applications for 225 student places across three academic divisions — an acceptance rate of 13.13%.[11] For the class of 2015, number of applications had decreased to 1,589. However, the student places had nearly doubled from 2013. The total number of places was 384, which equals an acceptance rate of 24.17%. [12] In the following years, the number of student places have continued to increase. [13]

Academic Fields

Majors
Underwood Division
  • Comparative Literature and Culture
  • Economics
  • International Studies
  • Life Science and Biotechnology
  • Political Science and International Relations
Asian Studies Division
  • Asian Studies
Techno Art Division
  • Creative Technology Management
  • Culture and Design Management
  • Information and Interaction Design
Integrated Social Sciences Division
  • Justice and Civil Leadership
  • Quantitative Risk Management
  • Science, Technology and Policy
  • Sustainable Development and Cooperation
Integrated Science and Engineering Division
  • Bio-Convergence
  • Energy & Environmental Science and Engineering
  • Nano Science and Engineering

Minors

Academic Partnerships and Exchange Programmes

Bilateral Exchange Programmes

UIC maintains collegial ties with Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.[14] As of 2013, it has signed exchange partnerships with institutions such as Barnard College (Columbia University),[15] Waseda University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Geneva and University College Utrecht.[16]

Trilateral Exchange Programmes

Along with University of Hong Kong and Keio University in Japan, Underwood International College, Yonsei University was a co-founder of the Three-Campus Comparative East Asian Programme. The programme, which commenced in 2008, allows undergraduate students to take a year of study across the three campuses.[17]

Career Development Center

Underwood International College, Yonsei University's Career Development Center provides students with services and resources to guide and prepare themselves for successful careers.[18] It regularly posts a list of job and internship opportunities, and sponsors regular workshops for students in every academic semester.[19][20]

Global Career Tours

Since 2008, Underwood International College, Yonsei University has organised subsidised overseas trips to provide students with opportunities to visit international organisations, companies, and institutions to gain exposure to the working environment. Past trips have involved travel to major financial centers such as Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, New York, and Singapore.[21]

Controversies

Transparency

Administrative transparency is a systemic complication at Underwood International College. The UIC faculty body is mostly young and untenured having a little power in decision making while the central administration dictates it. [22] A UIC faculty member comments, “At times, it seems [there is] an utter lack of transparency. Well, it certainly decreases job satisfaction for faculty members.” [23] Some faculty members reported that there is a “glass ceiling” for their career prospects. [24]

Faculty retention

UIC faculty member John Frankl refuted assertions that UIC faculty members leave after a few years in proportions that are higher than peer institutions. [25]

Student dissatisfaction

In 2011, the main base of UIC was moved from Seoul to Incheon despite the opposition from students and the faculty. According to a Korea Times article, most students opposed the school’s decision to move the campus. [26] According to Horace Underwood, moving UIC to Songdo International Business District will "destroy" it. [27] However, students who have experienced residential college life at Songdo campus have been satisfied with their experience and highly rate the academic environment at Songdo Global Campus. [28]

An article from 2018 reveals violations of students' rights by UIC. First, in the fall semester 2017 UIC administration gave an announcement and reduced Economics major courses by approximately one third. This raised concerns among the students about "accessibilty to major courses." Secondly, lack of full-time faculty and lecturers' English skills have consequented in calling UIC a "substandard version of academic scene." Thirdly, UIC's expensive tuition has made "many feel they pay double tuition for only a half's-education." [29]

"Identity Crisis"

According to the article Underwood International College (UIC)'s Identity Crisis, there are profound problems at the college which were brought up by a discussion about the under-represented international students. [30]

gollark: They should at least be similar.
gollark: It's a good indicator, though.
gollark: > how do they even make this useless junk for a dollar?! it's a modern marvelThe amazing power of automated assembly lines I guess?
gollark: It's not sarcastic as much as vaguely ironic, but yes.
gollark: Not particularly.

References

Bibliography
  • Kim, Stephanie K. (January 20, 2016). "Western faculty 'flight risk' at a Korean university and the complexities of internationalisation in Asian higher education". Comparative Education. 52 (1): 78–90. doi:10.1080/03050068.2015.1125620.


  1. "UIC Brochure 2013: The Liberal Arts for International Minds" (PDF).. Underwood International College
  2. "Yonsei University Statistics". Archived from the original on 2013-08-18. Yonsei University
  3. "Yonsei University Campuses: Sinchon Campus".. Yonsei University
  4. "Yonsei University Campuses: International Campus".. Yonsei University
  5. "Korea Univ. vs. Yonsei, Age-Old Rivalry in New Era". Korea Times (July 2013)
  6. "Yonsei University Symbol: Yonsei Mascot". Yonsei University
  7. "Yonsei to compete with Ivy League".. Korea Times (May 2012)
  8. "Yonsei's new college exclusively in English". Korea Joongang Daily
  9. Mo, Jongryn. Korea's Quest for Global Education: The Underwood International College (UIC) Model (PDF). Seoul, Korea: Global Education Forum.
  10. "Faculty Profiles". Yonsei University
  11. "2013 Freshmen Admission Statistics". Yonsei University
  12. "연세대학교 입학처 - 2015학년도 신입생 수시모집 지원 현황" [Yonsei University Admission Office - Current Status of Application for Admission of Freshmen in 2015]. yonsei.ac.kr. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
  13. https://yonseiuicscribe.com/uic-quantity-quality/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. "UIC signs exchange agreement with Dartmouth College, member of the Ivy League".. Yonsei University
  15. "Affordable Study at Barnard College".. Korea Herald
  16. "Study Abroad: UIC-Exclusive Programs". Yonsei University
  17. "3 Campus Comparative East Asian Studies Programme".
  18. "UNDERWOOD INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE | About CDC". uic.yonsei.ac.kr. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
  19. "Job_Opportunities". uic.yonsei.ac.kr. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
  20. "CDC Lecture Series". uic.yonsei.ac.kr. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
  21. "UNDERWOOD INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE | Global Career Tour". uic.yonsei.ac.kr. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
  22. Kim 2016, p. 82.
  23. Kim 2016, p. 83.
  24. Kim 2016, p. 84.
  25. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/letters/korea-highs
  26. "Some Unhappy About Yonsei's New Campus".
  27. "South Korea Builds a Global University, With Help From the U.S."
  28. "연세대 송도캠, 학업 환경은 으뜸ㆍ선후배 고리는 약해져" [Yonsei University Song Do Cam, academic environment is the best]. hankookilbo.com. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
  29. "UIC: Quantity over Quality?". Archived from the original on 2018-01-20.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  30. "Underwood International College (UIC)'s Identity Crisis".
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