단국대학교

Dankook University alumni Park Ji-won (Class of '15, Physical Education, Seoul City Hall) and Kim Tae-seong (Class of '20, International Sports, Hwaseong City Hall) delivered outstanding performances at the 2025 Winter Asian Games, held from February 7 to 14 in Harbin, China. Our student and alumni athletes collectively won three gold medals, four silver, and one bronze, reaffirming our strength in winter sports. Our alumni particularly excelled in short-track speed skating, traditionally a strong event. Park Ji-won secured two gold medals in the 1,500m and 2,000m mixed relay events and also won silver in the 1,000m and 500m races. Kim Tae-seong contributed to the gold medal victory in the 2,000m mixed relay, while fellow alumna Lee So-yeon (Class of '12, Sports and Leisure Studies, Sports Toto) claimed a bronze medal in the 500m event. In skiing events, our athletes also made remarkable achievements. Jong-hyun Yoon (1st-year student, International Sports) earned a silver medal in the freestyle skiing big air event, scoring 169.50 points to place second among seven competitors. Big air is an event in which athletes perform aerial tricks after launching from a large jump. Additionally, alumna Kim So-hee secured second place in the women's alpine skiing slalom event, finishing with a combined time of 1 minute 34.06 seconds over two runs. Kyung-ho Yeom, head of the university’s athletics department, commented, "We are extremely proud of our students and alumni for achieving outstanding results on the global stage. We will continue to provide strong support to ensure they can train in an even better environment."

Dankook University alumni Park Ji-won (Class of '15, Physical Education, Seoul City Hall) and Kim Tae-seong (Class of '20, International Sports, Hwaseong City Hall) delivered outstanding performances at the 2025 Winter Asian Games, held from February 7 to 14 in Harbin, China. Our student and alumni athletes collectively won three gold medals, four silver, and one bronze, reaffirming our strength in winter sports. Our alumni particularly excelled in short-track speed skating, traditionally a strong event. Park Ji-won secured two gold medals in the 1,500m and 2,000m mixed relay events and also won silver in the 1,000m and 500m races. Kim Tae-seong contributed to the gold medal victory in the 2,000m mixed relay, while fellow alumna Lee So-yeon (Class of '12, Sports and Leisure Studies, Sports Toto) claimed a bronze medal in the 500m event. In skiing events, our athletes also made remarkable achievements. Jong-hyun Yoon (1st-year student, International Sports) earned a silver medal in the freestyle skiing big air event, scoring 169.50 points to place second among seven competitors. Big air is an event in which athletes perform aerial tricks after launching from a large jump. Additionally, alumna Kim So-hee secured second place in the women's alpine skiing slalom event, finishing with a combined time of 1 minute 34.06 seconds over two runs. Kyung-ho Yeom, head of the university’s athletics department, commented, "We are extremely proud of our students and alumni for achieving outstanding results on the global stage. We will continue to provide strong support to ensure they can train in an even better environment."

Dankook University alumni Park Ji-won (Class of '15, Physical Education, Seoul City Hall) and Kim Tae-seong (Class of '20, International Sports, Hwaseong City Hall) delivered outstanding performances at the 2025 Winter Asian Games, held from February 7 to 14 in Harbin, China. Our student and alumni athletes collectively won three gold medals, four silver, and one bronze, reaffirming our strength in winter sports. Our alumni particularly excelled in short-track speed skating, traditionally a strong event. Park Ji-won secured two gold medals in the 1,500m and 2,000m mixed relay events and also won silver in the 1,000m and 500m races. Kim Tae-seong contributed to the gold medal victory in the 2,000m mixed relay, while fellow alumna Lee So-yeon (Class of '12, Sports and Leisure Studies, Sports Toto) claimed a bronze medal in the 500m event. In skiing events, our athletes also made remarkable achievements. Jong-hyun Yoon (1st-year student, International Sports) earned a silver medal in the freestyle skiing big air event, scoring 169.50 points to place second among seven competitors. Big air is an event in which athletes perform aerial tricks after launching from a large jump. Additionally, alumna Kim So-hee secured second place in the women's alpine skiing slalom event, finishing with a combined time of 1 minute 34.06 seconds over two runs. Kyung-ho Yeom, head of the university’s athletics department, commented, "We are extremely proud of our students and alumni for achieving outstanding results on the global stage. We will continue to provide strong support to ensure they can train in an even better environment."

Dankook University has partnered with global IT companies, including Amazon, Google, and Naver, to foster AI smart city talent. On March 12th, the university hosted the "AI Smart City Talent Development Collaboration Meeting" at the Jukjeon campus. The meeting was attended by President Ahn Soon-chul, Vice President Baek Dong-heon of the Cheonan campus, and representatives from leading domestic and international AI companies, including: • Amazon Web Services (AWS) • Google Cloud • Naver • NHN Cloud • SK Planet • Salesforce • Dassault Systèmes • SK Telecom • Unity Industry leaders discussed strategies for AI smart city talent development. Key discussion topics included: • The future direction of AI-based smart city technologies • Methods for fostering talent through industry-academia collaboration • Development and delivery of educational programs • Potential for joint research and national project initiatives Companies presented future trajectories and visions by proposing collaborative models with Dankook University. The meeting also highlighted the potential linkage between this initiative and the Smart City Development Project led by the city of Cheonan , as well as the Regional Innovation System and Education (RISE) project. President Ahn Soon-chul stated, "since the establishment of our Cheonan campus 47 years ago, our university has been dedicated to building an industrial ecosystem for regional collaboration and fostering an academia-industry-research cluster. Through this meeting, Dankook University will accelerate efforts in nurturing AI smart city talent and advancing the RISE project in collaboration with renowned domestic and global enterprises."

Dankook University has entered the 2025 THE World University Rankings by Subject for the first time in a total of seven subject areas. The Times Higher Education (THE), a UK-based global university ranking institution, evaluates universities based on five key indicators: • Teaching (5 metrics, 29.5%) • Research Environment (3 metrics, 29%) • Research Quality (4 metrics, 30%) • International Outlook (3 metrics, 7.5%) • Industry Collaboration (2 metrics, 4%) The 2025 THE World University Rankings by Subject pulls data from the overall THE World University Rankings. The rankings, which have been conducted since 2010, included 2,092 universities from 115 countries this year. Dankook entered the rankings for the first time in seven out of eleven subject areas, including: • Education [Ranked within the Top 600 globally] • Life Sciences [Ranked 601-800 globally] • Clinical & Health [Ranked 801-1,000 globally] • Social Sciences [Ranked 801-1,000 globally] • Computer Science [Ranked within the Top 1,000] • Physical Sciences [Ranked within the Top 1,000] • Engineering [Ranked 1,001-1,250 globally] Strategic Efforts to Improve Global Rankings The University Ranking Strategy Committee played a key role in enhancing the university's position. Their leadership in recommending survey respondents significantly contributed to the improvement in rankings. In global university ranking systems, such as QS and THE, academic reputation accounts for 30-50% of the total evaluation weighting, making it a critical indicator for improved rankings. Last year, to strengthen our academic reputation, the committee increased participation in survey recommendations from international scholars from North and South America, as well as Europe, by over 20% compared to the previous year. Additionally, the university improved corporate reputation indicators by increasing recommendations from industry professionals in domestic and international companies by over 10% year-over-year. Jaeil Kim, Chair of the University Ranking Strategy Committee (Executive Vice President for External Affairs), expressed gratitude, stating, "I sincerely thank our professors for their active participation in recommending survey respondents to enhance our global reputation. This ranking is a reaffirmation of our university's global competitiveness, and we will continue to strive for higher research achievements and ranking improvements through innovative education and research infrastructure." Building a Systematic Approach to Global Rankings Since last year, the University Ranking Strategy Committee has been analyzing ranking indicators to develop a systematic approach to improving QS and THE rankings. In particular, the university has introduced SciVal, a research performance analytics solution, to improve the management faculty research data. To enhance research performance, the university is implementing the following initiatives: • Introduction of the Distinguished Professor System • Expansion of incentives based on Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) • Research lab environment improvement projects • Increase in research productivity-based performance incentives • Expansion of university research funding support • Step-by-step support for technology transfer and commercialization Through these efforts, the university is committed to strengthening faculty research capabilities and improving research outcomes to further enhance its global standing.

K-MOOC, a Korean-style adaptation of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), is a web-based platform providing universally accessible courses. Since 2015, the Ministry of Education has expanded learning opportunities for the public by offering high-quality university courses online. As part of this selection, our university will be the first to integrate Naver’s latest metaverse platform, "Zump," into K-MOOC courses. We will also introduce innovative educational programs, including VR-based film production courses. New Course Offerings: "Next-Generation Digital Convergence Content Creation" We will launch three new courses under the theme of "Next-Generation Digital Convergence Content Creation": “Metaverse Content Planning with AI Prompts” (Professors Seo Eunggyo and Kim Eunyoung) “Developing Innovative 3D Metaverse Content” (Professors Jung Bumyeon, Kwon Sanghyuk, and Choi Jinwook) “Creating Immersive VR Film Content” (Professor Jung Bumyeon) Our university is the first K-MOOC participating institution to introduce the Open Badge System, which awards digital badges to course completers. These badges allow learners to efficiently organize and present their personal achievements and portfolios. By collaborating with the Yongin Special City Media Center, we ensure an optimal hands-on environment for developing digital convergence content. Moreover, our partnership with SNOW Co. strengthens industry-academia-research collaboration for developing metaverse-focused courses. President Ahn Soon-chul highlighted, “By building immersive learning environments through metaverse-integrated education, we aim to foster practical digital convergence content developers and drive educational innovation in the era of digital transformation.” Our university has actively participated in the K-MOOC initiative since 2016. To date, we have offered 35 courses—including topics such as design thinking and foreign language conversation—attracting a total of 35,456 learners.

Our university has climbed 74 spots in the 2025 QS Sustainability Rankings, released by the UK-based global evaluation agency Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The university is now ranked: • 805th globally, • 231st in Asia, • and 32nd domestically. Introduced by QS in 2022, the Sustainability Rankings assess universities' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) sustainability initiatives. Evaluation criteria include: • Environmental Impact (45 points): environmental sustainability, education, and research. • Social Impact (45 points): health & well-being, equity, educational impact, employability & outcomes, and knowledge exchange. • Governance (10 points). The results are reflected in subsequent QS World University Rankings. This year, significant improvements in "Social Impact" and "Governance" propelled the rankings. The "Social Impact" metric rose by 146 places, with its sub-indicators—Educational Impact and Equity—jumping 277 and 99 places, respectively. Meanwhile, the "Governance" metric climbed 180 places. Despite the number of evaluated universities increasing from 1,403 last year to 1,751 this year, our ranking improved. Leadership in SDGs and Carbon-Neutral Education As a leader in sustainability, our university has established the University Evaluation Strategy Committee and the Dankook SDGs Committee to prepare for global university evaluations. It has implemented a research performance analysis solution (SciVal) to systematically manage SDG-related faculty research. Research papers containing SDG-related keywords in titles, abstracts, or keywords can strategically enhance rankings in QS Sustainability and THE World University Rankings. Key initiatives include: • Hosting a UN SDGs Declaration Ceremony involving students, faculty, and staff. • Launching a dedicated Dankook SDGs website to integrate and manage sustainability indicators. • Establishing specialized departments such as ESG Management (Graduate School of Business) and Carbon Neutral Studies (Graduate School of Public Administration). At the undergraduate level, a new liberal arts course will be offered starting in Spring 2024; “Sustainable Earth: Our Choices” aims to build expertise and practical skills for addressing climate crises and achieving carbon neutrality. Additional efforts include: • Introducing Korea’s first eco-friendly hydrogen electric shuttle bus. • Launching the DKU Student Environmental Education Corps. • Supporting guide dog seminars for the visually impaired. • Joining SDG-related associations like Race to Zero and the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI). Jaeil Kim, Chair of the University Evaluation Strategy Committee and Vice President for External Affairs, stated, “Our university is committed to creating a sustainable education and research environment through a restructured evaluation framework. By embedding SDG visions and goals into academic research activities, we aim to lead the way in sustainability and transform into a globally recognized institution.”

The University of Newcastle, recognized as one of Australia's most innovative research universities, has partnered with Dankook University to cultivate talent in the fields of future energy and materials chemistry. On October 26th, President An Soon-Cheol visited the University of Newcastle and signed an MOU to establish a dual-degree Ph.D. program and an international research collaboration network in future energy and materials chemistry. The signing ceremony was attended by President An Soon-Cheol, Professor Choi Jin-Ho, Professor Choi Go-Eun, visiting Professor Nirichan Sanos Reginald, University of Newcastle President Alex Zelinsky, Vice President Kent Anderson, Distinguished Professor Ajayan Vinu, and Director of International Affairs Alek Voninski. Through this MOU, the two universities agreed to: • Jointly deliver a dual-degree Ph.D. program in future energy and materials chemistry. • Establish academic exchanges and collaborative research networks, which will build research infrastructure and cultivate global talent. President An also visited affiliated research centers at Newcastle, including the Global Innovative Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials (GICAN), the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), and the Newcastle Institute for Energy Resources (NIER), during which he discussed practical collaboration strategies to advance academic and research innovation platforms. A joint symposium was also held to develop a new international research collaboration network. Around 40 professors and researchers from Newcastle participated, showing significant interest in joint research and dual Ph.D. programs with Dankook. The symposium featured keynote presentations by: • Distinguished Professor Ajayan Vinu: “Bio-Nano Research at GICAN” • Professor Thava Palanisami: “Bio-Innovation Research and Commercialization Based on the EPIC Project” • Professor Choi Jin-Ho: “Therapeutic Functions of Low-Dimensional Hybrid Materials” • Professor Choi Go-Eun: “Boron Neutron Capture Therapy Using Drug Delivery Systems” Founded in 1965, the University of Newcastle is a public university in New South Wales, Australia. Ranked 179th globally and 10th in Australia in the 2025 QS World University Rankings, the university is also a leading research institution in carbon-neutral energy and materials chemistry, ranking among the global top 30 in these fields. With 38,000 students, Newcastle excels in life sciences, engineering, environmental studies, and healthcare.

Dankook University and the government are cooperating closely to foster experts in future technologies at the private school’s two campuses under a partnership in five sectors — bio health, next-generation displays, semiconductors, global culture and governance. Of them, Dankook University’s bio health education program was nominated as one of the government’s “Best consortiums” for three consecutive years since the school opened the related education courses in 2021. Some 27,000 students have attended about 150 classes under the program in the meantime. In a bid to incubate experts in future semiconductor technologies, the university also opened the DKU Clean Room Center with a floor area of 926 square meters at its Jukjeon Campus in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, in October. The center offers comprehensive education tracks in semiconductor technology, including design, process and device simulation as well as post-processing and packaging, thanks to its cutting-edge facilities. The campus has also been designated as the government’s educational partner in next-generation display technology this year. Under the partnership, Dankook University said it will open five different related tracks for 79 classes to foster future experts in display technology. Dankook University is also operating various educational courses in culture at its Cheonan Campus in South Chungcheong Province. They include cinema, dramas, webtoons, animation, music and performance. The entire courses are assimilated with future coomunications technologies to foster future experts in media. The education institution’s relentless efforts were also recognized by foreign academia. Stanford University and global analytics publisher Elsevier nominated 29 Dankook University scholars for their latest list of the “World Top 2 percent Scientists” based on the Scopus, an Elsevier-owned academic database offering a comprehensive overview of global interdisciplinary scientific information, covering the areas of science, technology, medicine, social science and the arts and humanities. “Dankook University has invested a huge amount of money in renovating its educational environment to satisfy its students’ expectations,” Dankook University President Ahn Soon-cheol said in a press release. “The school will continuously strengthen its educational courses for future technologies to foster prospectives.” "Dankook University joins hands with gov't to foster experts in future technologies" (The Korea Times, 2024.12.19)

Dankook University ranked 3rd among private universities in Korea in the National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCSI) survey conducted by the Korea Productivity Center. Scoring 79 points in this year’s NCSI survey, the university ranked behind Sungkyunkwan University (1st) and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (2nd), sharing 3rd place with Yonsei University and Hanyang University. This marks an improvement from 4th place last year, securing a spot in the Top 5 for two consecutive years. The survey included 23 four-year universities nationwide (10 national universities and 13 private universities), with our university participating for the second year in a row. Our high ranking was credited to being the “university with the most selections for government-supported convergence talent development projects.” The university is actively engaged in three "Advanced Field Innovation Convergence Universit[y]" initiatives focusing on bio-health, next-generation displays, and semiconductor materials and components. Additionally, we lead convergence talent development in the humanities and social sciences, addressing global cultures and social structures. Setting “student satisfaction” as a core goal, the university has transformed its educational platforms and infrastructure, providing tailored education based on students’ developmental stages. To enhance students’ academic choices, the university has expanded its multidisciplinary major programs and implemented the "DanCare" student counseling model to support students' growth and career development. President An SoonCheol emphasized, “with the belief that a prestigious university must prioritize student satisfaction, we are heavily investing in building educational infrastructure. By fostering a culture of responsible administration through student satisfaction-driven management, we aim to assist students in their growth and success, ultimately enhancing trust and satisfaction through value-based management.” In 2013, our university became the first in Korea to establish the CS Management Center, dedicated to student satisfaction. The center has pioneered initiatives, including the development of Korea’s first data-driven university management model (DK-UCSI), the launch of the country’s first student-led speaker group "Dan-Ulim," and the establishment of the first integrated call center among Korean universities. The university has also developed proprietary satisfaction diagnostic indicators, including Department Satisfaction, Administrative Service Satisfaction, Faculty Satisfaction, and External Customer Satisfaction (focusing on corporations, high school career counselors, alumni, parents, and local residents). These indicators have been registered for copyright and patents (2013–2019) and validated through publications in the Journal of Korean Educational Research (2013–2014). Regular diagnostic data is provided to administrative departments and academic units to enable a virtuous cycle of identifying and addressing areas for improvement.

NVIDIA (CEO Kim Seung-kyu) and Dankook University hosted an AI technology seminar on November 24th at Hye-dang Hall on the Jukjeon campus, providing insights into the future of AI computing. Jointly organized by the Ultra-low-cost AI System Research Center for Edge Devices (Director Kim Hyun-jin), the Career Development and Entrepreneurship Office (Director Min Dong-won), and NVIDIA, the seminar attracted over 500 students, demonstrating their keen interest in AI technology, a future growth industry. During the seminar, Lee Deuk-woo, Executive Director of NVIDIA, gave a lecture entitled "Artificial Intelligence and NVIDIA GPUs." He covered topics such as the history of NVIDIA, the evolution of GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) technology, and the importance of GPUs in on-device environments, offering valuable insights into the upcoming era of artificial intelligence. The venue also featured a demonstration booth where participants could experience NVIDIA’s latest GPU, the "GeForce RTX GPU," in action. Attendees explored NVIDIA’s cutting-edge on-device AI features, including the AI chatbot "ChatRTX," an AI-based video calling app "NVIDIA Broadcast," and an AI-powered image generation application. Vice President for Industry-University Cooperation, Oh Jwa-seop, stated, “through this seminar, we hope to create a foundation for collaboration between our university, which is leading the cultivation of professionals and research in advanced fields such as AI, semiconductors, future mobility, robotics, and digital healthcare, and NVIDIA, a global leader in industry innovation.” Seo Jong-hyu, a junior in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, shared his impressions. “The seminar not only enhanced my understanding of AI technology, but also allowed me to experience cutting-edge innovation firsthand, making me realize how rapidly AI is integrating into daily life.”

Dankook University received the top ‘S’ rating for the first time in the educational innovation category during the second annual evaluation of the University Innovation Support Project, hosted by the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea. In attaining an ‘S’ rating, DKU will be eligible for additional incentives and be provided KRW 13.273 billion in grants, which is a 38% increase compared to the previous year. The University Innovation Support Project helps universities strengthen their educational bases through self-innovation in order to provide quality higher education and foster future talent. A total of 117 universities nationwide, including 51 in the Seoul metropolitan area, are taking part in the project. Participating universities are evaluated and grouped into grades S, A, B, and C and receive tiered incentives depending on their respective grades. Over the past five years, Dankook has invested around KRW 40 billion from the grants received through the project into educational innovations to nurture creative talent. Obtaining an ‘S’ rating acknowledges DKU’s achievements in delivering convergent education guided by the goal of ‘cultivating DKU future talent who can transcend borders and grow together.’ In this year’s evaluation, Dankook was highlighted for its efforts to expand choices for students when selecting majors. For the 2025 school year, 33.8% or 1,041 incoming students will be admitted with undeclared majors. Toegye (Jukjeon) and Yulgok (Cheonan) Innovation Colleges have been established to provide comprehensive education for freshmen enrolling in the open major program. To support freshmen with selecting majors more effectively and planning their careers, dedicated professors (JA Faculty) are assigned and a roadmap called ‘D-DanCare’ is provided for students to adjust, grow, and design their career tracks. Assistance programs, such as Danjjak Mentoring (buddy-pairing between senior and junior students), Danpum Mentoring (one-on-one professor to student mentoring), and Danbi Mentoring (student and alumni mentorship groups), are also offered to help incoming students take more initiative in planning their college life. Meanwhile, a personalized growth management program called DanCare offers support to enrolled students in building skills in six core competency areas (communication, self-direction, problem-solving, professional knowledge, dedicated cooperation, and global citizenship). DKU’s flexible academic system that offers multiple majors, supports department transfers, and allows credit exchanges was also recognized. The number of students that chose double majors, multidisciplinary majors, convergence majors, joint majors, and micro credentials jumped 15.1% from 1,171 in 2022 to 1,348 in 2023. A total of 728 courses are available for credit exchanges with 53,167 students completing such courses. Dankook’s hyperconnected educational innovation platform was praised in the evaluation. Dankook implemented Dan.i (AI-based customized learning support), D-ESK (AI-based teaching support), and e-Campus (learning management system for no-boundary learning) to support customized teaching and learning. Moreover, DKU is advancing D-MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses), D-OER (Open Educational Resources), a metaverse campus (AI-driven tailored learning supports), and Young熊 Story+ (AI-based self-directed learning) to expand and converge hyperconnected learning experiences for students. “Receiving an ‘S’ rating in the educational innovation category recognizes Dankook University’s performance in realizing strong convergent education,” said DKU President Soon-Cheol An, who added that “[we] will step up our efforts in building an educational infrastructure to nurture innovative and convergent talent fit for a new age of digital transformation.”

President An SoonCheol presents the direction of university innovation aimed at providing education that satisfies students On the occasion of his first anniversary as the president of Dankook University, President SoonCheol An conducted an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo. He unveiled his vision for university management, including improvements to the educational environment, plans for freshman selection, and the establishment of the PRIMUS International University. He particularly highlighted the university's efforts for innovation that ensures student satisfaction in education and the restructuring of systems to enhance major selection rights. He stated his commitment to creating a university where students are satisfied with their education and alumni take pride in their institution. Link to the full interview with JoongAng Ilbo (Korean) Link to the full interview with Korea JoongAng Daily (English)

Young musicians from Korea and Germany come together to create a stage of friendship and harmony. On July 17, the DKU Symphonic Band (conducted by Professor Gunyong Lee) held a cultural exchange concert with the State Symphonic Wind Orchestra of Baden-Württemberg from Germany (conductor Björn Bus) at Dankook University’s Nanpa Concert Hall. Dankook invited the Baden-Württemberg Orchestra to campus for the concert during the orchestra’s visit to Korea to take part in the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles’ (WASBE) 20th International Conference. The joint concert at Dankook featured 122 musicians, 49 from DKU and 73 from Germany. More than six hundred people filled the concert hall. The packed audience included the Dankook Foundation’s Honorary Chairman, Choong-sik Chang, DKU President, Soon-Cheol An, internal and external guests, along with international and DKU students. The concert started with an exhilarating samulnori (Korean percussion music) performance from students majoring in traditional Korean music that immediately grabbed the attention of the audience, especially foreign guests. Afterward, the Wind Orchestra of Baden-Württemberg performed Mathias Wehr’s ‘Earthen Echoes Unveiled,’ Alexandre Kosmicki’s ‘Danse Satanique,’ Christiaan Janssen’s ‘Capriccio,’ and Bert Appermont’s ‘a Brussels Requiem.’ Then, the DKU Symphonic Band delivered a beautiful combination of Philip Sparke’s ‘Hanover Festival’ and Robert E. Jager’s ‘Sinfornia Nobilissima.’ The 122 young and talented musicians from the two countries created magnificent harmony and a grand atmosphere that made the audience forget about the hot summer and rainy season. “We were able to deliver a memorable performance and make unforgettable memories at the Dankook campus thanks to the special invitation from Dankook’s Honorary Chairman, Choong-sik Chang, who is well-versed in culture and known for his love for music,” said Ilka Hermann, the principal horn of the Baden-Württemberg Orchestra. She went on to express her “deepest gratitude to DKU officials, including the Dankook Foundation Chairman, Hosung Chang, DKU President An, and Professor Lee who helped organize the concert [over] the past six months.” The DKU Symphonic Band and Baden-Württemberg Orchestra also gave a joint performance of Alfred Reed’s ‘Armenian Dances Part 1,’ led by conductor Björn Bus, and John Barnes Chance’s ‘Variations on a Korean Folk Song,’ conducted by professor Gunyong Lee. The concert ended with a performance of variations on Arirang, the traditional Korean folk song most loved by the Korean people. The audience held their breath as the notes of Arirang, played by the German principal clarinet, spread throughout the silent concert hall. When the song ended, the audience roared with applause and a standing ovation. It was a beautiful moment when people of different nationalities and ages were united by music.

Dankook University’s student volunteer corps, part of the Office of Student Affairs area, are traveling to Mongolia and Cambodia over the summer break to exemplify Dankook’s guiding principles of truth and service. Thirty-five members from the Jukjeon campus overseas volunteer corps (32 students, 3 faculty) will visit Puok Elementary School in Siem Reap, Cambodia from June 24 to July 4. On June 21, the volunteers held a kick-off ceremony at the small auditorium in the Jukjeon campus’ Humanities Hall in hopes of a successful trip. The volunteer corps will start by serving meals through the Dail Community’s Babfor Services. They will teach math, science, art, physical education, and Korean language and culture, draw murals, repair school facilities, and conduct musical and cultural performances. Meanwhile, 24 members of the Cheonan campus overseas volunteer corps (lead by Professor Il Suk Lee) will embark on a volunteer trip to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from June 29 to July 8. The delegation will visit School #9 to volunteer. They will teach Korean language, science, art, physical education, carbon neutrality, and environmental education. Additionally, they will create wall murals, carry out maintenance work around the school, install recreational facilities, offer health education, and deliver a special performance and village festival for the local community. “[I] see our students’ efforts of practicing and preparing for the volunteer trip will help them flourish at the volunteer sites,” said professor Sung-soon Park, head of the volunteer corps, who added, “I hope everyone will be able to share our values of truth and service and return home safely.” Since the volunteer corps was inaugurated in 2007, Dankook University has been actively carrying out volunteer work at home and abroad. Over 2,500 students and faculty members have provided services in different countries, including Mongolia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Nepal, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and Laos to practice the university’s educational direction of truth and service.