UCM, University of Seoul Celebrate Longstanding Partnership, Discuss New Opportunities

Front row from left: Minchan Pyo, UOS vice president for International Affairs; UOS President Yongkul Won; UCM President
Roger Best; and Tim Crowley, UCM provost and vice president of Academic Affairs. Second row: Hyenyoung Jung, deputy
director of the UOS Office of International Affairs; Hyunghee Kim, chief secretary to the UOS president; Soo Il Lee, dean of
the UOS College of Engineering; Jeffrey Robertson, dean of the UCM College of Health, Science, and Technology; Laurel
Hogue, UCM vice provost for Online and Extended Studies; Ann McCoy, UCM vice provost for Academic Programs and
dean of Graduate Studies; and Douglas Davenport, dean of the UCM Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies.

 

The University of Central Missouri (UCM) recently welcomed leaders from the University of Seoul (UOS), a public research university in Korea, as the institutions look to grow an existing partnership.

The two universities began a student exchange agreement in 2008, which was renewed last year. UCM was among the first UOS partners, and is currently one of 29 partner universities in the United States.

UOS students are eligible for UCM’s Global Partner Scholarship program, which covers non-resident tuition and fees for international students.

 

“We are so pleased with the quality of students at the University of Seoul. Your students come to us, and academically, they're very good, but they also become part of our student life,” UCM President Roger Best told UOS leadership during the visit. “Our congratulations on preparing your students so well for study abroad, because we love having them. We would love to have more of them because they are so good for the university and our student body. It allows our students to experience the world without leaving our campus.”

During a business meeting, delegations discussed opportunities for the two universities to deepen their longstanding partnership, such as faculty exchanges and research collaborations.

They also shared academic program updates and technology developments on each campus. UCM has invested in virtual reality and artificial intelligence across the university, including last year’s opening of the Dr. John W. “Jack” Horine Virtual Reality Flight Simulation Lab, and continues to focus on preparing students through experiential learning. Earlier this year, UOS launched its new College of Artificial Intelligence and began to integrate AI education into all undergraduate majors.

 

“We are always open to exploring an additional relationship and exploring how we might serve each other's students in a greater capacity because we believe strongly in student success,” Best said.

After the meeting and a gift exchange, the afternoon also included a visit from Molly, the university’s live mule mascot, a tour of the Warrensburg campus, and dinner at Traditions Restaurant at the Mules National Golf Club.

UOS President Yongkul Won said it was a pleasure to visit UCM this month after hosting Best and other UCM faculty and staff members in Seoul last spring. Won said it’s clear that UCM is a student-friendly campus.

 

“I really appreciate the kind of hospitality and kindness shown to our students,” Won said. “Our students expressed that they learned a lot about not only specific areas of knowledge but also global prospects. I'd like to see that kind of opportunity going on in the future.

 

“Our university deeply values the long-standing relationship we share with Central Missouri,” Won continued. “And your visit to Seoul and visit to our campus set a strong foundation, strengthening our connections. I've thought so much about our partnership and about building new avenues, new roles for future collaborations. We look forward to opportunities to continue to have a fruitful relationship together and contributing to the goals of our universities.”

For more information about UCM’s international programs, visit ucmo.edu/iss.