Kyung Hee University (abbreviated to KHU) (Hangul: 경희대학교; Hanja: 慶熙大學校) is a private research university in South Korea with campuses in Seoul and Suwon.[6] Founded in 1949, it is widely regarded as one of the best universities in South Korea. Kyung Hee University is part of the Kyung Hee University System, which offers comprehensive education from kindergarten through graduate school. As of 2020, about 33,000 students were enrolled in Kyung Hee University. The university consists of 24 undergraduate colleges, 1 general graduate school, 13 specialty graduate schools and 49 auxiliary research institutions. The university offers a study abroad program in partnership with 434 sister universities in 69 countries. Kyung Hee University is known for its College of Korean Medicine, which is considered a leading school in traditional Korean medicine and other traditional Asian medical practices.Kyung Hee University originated in 1949 as Sin Heung Junior College, a 2-year college. Amid the financial crisis of the Korean War, Young Seek Choue bought the struggling school in 1951 and had it accredited as a 4-year undergraduate college in 1952. In 1954, the graduate school was established. The college was renamed Kyung Hee University in 1960. The university hosted the 1968 conference of the International Association of University Presidents, first proposed in 1981 the UN International Day of Peace, organized the 1999 Seoul International Conference of NGOs,[15] held the 2009 World Civic Forum,[16] ran the 2011 UNAI-Kyung Hee International Symposium, and has spearheaded the Global Common Society movement. In 1993 Kyung Hee received the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education.. 53 In 2006, Kyung Hee and the University of Pennsylvania initiated the Penn-Kyung Hee Collaborative Summer Program. 458 and two years later a formal Global Collaborative with Peking, Ritsumeikan, and Moscow State universities; the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs; and the Conference of NGOs (CoNGO).The university emblem is the Chinese character for "university" (it was changed in 2016 to only symbol of book) and has a world map in the background. This symbolizes Kyung Hee's vision for globalization as well as an open mind and humanism for the world. The university character mark is visualized through the mane of the Laughing Lion, the torch which sheds light on the truth, and the dove, an international symbol of peace. Sports teams and various University promotional products use the character mark to proliferate Kyung Hee's brand value throughout the world. Magnolia is the official flower of Kyung Hee University and the magnolia logo embodies the qualities that Kyung Hee stands for such as resilience, beauty, generosity, and unity.Kyung Hee University has three campuses. The university's original campus is Seoul Campus (245 acres), located in the Dongdaemun District of Seoul, and established in 1954. In 1979, the university established its second campus, the Global Campus (510 acres) in Yongin, near Suwon. In 1984, the university established its third campus, Gwangneung Campus (12 acres) in Namyangju, just outside of Seoul. Gwangneung Campus is home to the Graduate Institute of Peace Studies.Since its founding, Kyung Hee University has pursued the Kyung Hee Spirit of "Scholarship and Peace" as well as the founding principle of "creating a civilized world." For the past 62 years, the University has developed remarkably, contributing to the fulfillment of a "cultural world for humanity" as the leader of the future of academics and the creator of common values for humanity. In particular, the past five years have witnessed notable growth and a rise in the University's stature through forward-looking and adventurous endeavors in education, research, public service, and praxis. On its 60th anniversary in 2009, Kyung Hee University prepared for a second leap forward while seeking a new paradigm of future university development. It reflected on the fundamental mission of the University and established a new vision and goals for becoming a true university of the future. In this new vision for a university that transcends the traditional notion of the university as a mere physical location and the limitations of an exclusive academe, Kyung Hee University will rise to international prestige and develop into an international center of research, education, and praxis that brings together reality and imagination, the basics and applied sciences, and theory and practice. Pursuing "Global Eminence" on a foundation of academic excellence, Kyung Hee University will become an academic community that fulfills its social responsibility by cultivating world citizens with the capacity for communication and public service.With a tradition of "Scholarship and Peace," Kyung Hee University has worked towards "Global Eminence," sincerely reflected on the fundamental role of the university, and repeatedly challenged itself to fulfill this role. In particular, 2011 was a year in which Kyung Hee searched for a breakthrough in "the future of the university, the future of humanity" through introspection and self-reflection. Kyung Hee prepared the "Global Eminence 2020" development strategy and the Kyung Hee Future Compact, the ethical foundation on which this strategy will be based. The Future Compact is a promise made by members of the Kyung Hee community to establish a university culture of dialogue, harmony, consideration, and respect to create a "respected university." The spirit of the Future Compact is in accordance with the University's founding spirit, which was established over 60 years ago. This spirit of creating a "better community and a respected university" runs parallel to the University's tradition of "Scholarship and Peace" based on the creative combination of education, research, and practice.The need for such a promise was apparent in 2011 when Kyung Hee University made the difficult decision of freezing tuition at current rates for three years. This decision required communication and harmony between Kyung Hee's various members, a democratic decision-making process and respect for the outcome, and spiritual and cultural camaraderie based on a set of shared values. Through multiple discussions among faculty, students, staff, and the administration, all members of the Kyung Hee community were able to share their visions, goals, and values to create a new set of guidelines and values on which to cooperatively build a better university. As such, the Future Compact contains an "action guide" that respects differences and individual creativity while also promoting a community consciousness for mutual prosperity. This guide is based on five core values: correlation, collectiveness and safety, consideration and respect, transparency and ethics, and public good. The members of the Kyung Hee community came together as equals at Magnolia 2011--a year-end celebration for faculty and students--in December 2011 to share, keep, and carry out the visions and values of the Kyung Hee Future Compact.
Watch the videos to learn about the student life-cycle and the teaching environment at the University.
