CNU Can Step Forward To Become a World Class University through ESP

 

 

By Hwang In-sik, Student Editor

 

 

The world is becoming a global village through communication technology which breaks down language and cultural barriers. It gives a chance to university students to study abroad through a variety of international exchange programs. Chonnam National University (CNU) is striving to provide its students with opportunities to study abroad through exchange programs with its affiliated foreign universities and operates various programs for international students to accomplish globalization on campus. As a notable example, CNU has increased the number of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with foreign universities and has expanded its exchange programs all over the world. Here is some information about the exchange student program (ESP) for undergraduate students out of international programs.

 

ESP Trends at a Glance

CNU has currently 236 sister universities in 39 countries around the world and has student exchange agreements with 55 universities in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America. According to the Office of International Affairs (OIA), CNU sent 325 students abroad and received 207 international students in 2012 through its exchange student program.

CNU’s exchange students were mainly sent to universities in Asia and North America which have been very well promoted compared to other regions. CNU students also had little interest in universities in Europe and Asia, but nowadays, the number of exchange students dispatched to Western Europe and Asia is increasing. Especially, the numbers of students who want to study at European universities are steadily increasing for last three years and the competition rate was 1.5 to 1 in 2011 and 2.5 to 1 in 2012.

Since the first exchange student agreement with Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Poland in 1997, CNU has received international exchange students from different regions of the world. The number of them who studied at CNU has increased fast in the past four years: 13 students in 2009, 56 in 2010, 137 in 2011 and 207 in 2012. This was a rapid advance as compared with 25 students in 2005 when CNU established the International Center, the predecessor of the OIA, in order to promote international relationships with foreign universities and to organize various international exchange programs.

This ESP trend will be accelerating from 2013 because CNU’s 3+1 Double Degree project with Kyungpook National University was selected by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and European External Service of the European Union in order to operate the European Union Industrialized Countries Instrument Education Cooperation Program.

 

Students’ Satisfaction with ESP

The ESP provides students with diverse opportunities to study abroad and participants in the program generally were satisfied. The OIA has recently took a survey measuring the satisfaction rates for ESP over CNU students who study at foreign universities in three regions of Asia, America and Europe through the ESP, resulting in that among three regions, students who studied at European universities were the most satisfied.

Regarding the results, the Chonnam Tribune interviewed Prof. Shin Gyong-gu, then-Dean of the OIA on December 31^st, 2012. He answered that there were reasons — economic problems, racial diversity and confidence in English as a foreign language — why exchange students at European universities have been more satisfied than other regions’ exchange students. The cost of living in Europe is lower than other regions like North America and European countries have little discrimination because they have many races. Besides, English is just a means of communication with foreigners in the countries, CNU students can communicate confidently with others. He added that the ESP is the best chance for students to accomplish their personal development and what we need most is confidence in speaking English — ‘I can do it, I can speak English’.

What about international exchange students at CNU? The OIA supports foreign students in a variety of ways to make them adjust to a new environment so that they seemed to be mostly satisfied with studying at CNU except for some complaints about the buddy program due to their Korean buddies. Most of them said that a buddy program and cultural field trips were very good to help understand Korean culture and to lead a better school life.

 

Guide to Studying Abroad through ESP

Before CNU exchange students depart from the country to study abroad, the OIA provides them with simple tips for a school life at foreign universities and education programs to improve their presentation skills. It offers information about studying and the anticipated living conditions abroad through its management experience and continuous contacts with foreign universities.

After arriving at the universities, information is provided. The service of exchange students needs to be well adjusted to a new circumstance that is different from CNU in Korea. Most foreign universities run mentoring programs like CNU’s buddy program that helps to create personal relations with local students. Kim Go-eun (Senior, Dept. of Law) who studied at Curtin University in Australia said, “I think the mentoring program is a great opportunity to make me and my buddies know each other and have fun together. I like it.” A difference is that some universities including Curtin University in Australia operates different orientations and cafeterias for foreign students considering their diversity in religion and food culture.

 

ESP for a Better Future

CNU makes an effort to provide affordable studying abroad opportunities for its students and to attract talented international students to CNU by opening various international programs. As a result, the number of exchange students at foreign universities is increasing from 25 students in 2005 to 207 in 2012 and incoming foreign students have been growing from 377 in 2010 to 552 in 2012. The Korean Wave is also one factor of the increase in international students at CNU. Aji Laksono Ganes (Junior, Dept. of Communication, Exchange Student from Indonesia) said, “I came to South Korea because of ‘Girls’ Generation’.” It is time that CNU steps forward to become a world class university. There are some effective ways that CNU enhances its internationalization including exchange activities with foreign universities all over the world and cultivating its students as global leaders who have international competitiveness. CNU needs to make international students its honorary ambassadors. Let’s try to see the wood and the trees for the future.

황인식 기자 dlstlr58@nate.com

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