Participation in overseas volunteer activities and participation in overseas exhibits during the summer break to enhance global capacities
Over 360 dispatched overseas for backpacking programs, language programs and cultural exploration with school funding
Assertive support by the university to enhance global experience opportunities
[July 2, 2019]
<The 37th Overseas Volunteer Corps launching ceremony (June 28, 2019)>
It looks like YU students will spend their summer breaks even more busily than while in school for the 2019 summer break. YU students will be traveling all around the world to participate in various overseas dispatched programs sponsored by the school.
Over 360 YU students will be sent abroad this summer vacation alone. One of the most famous overseas dispatch programs of YU is the ‘overseas volunteer corps’. A total of 2,690 students participated in a total of 36 overseas volunteer corps programs since 2001. This summer break, the 37th overseas volunteer corps will be sending 57 students to Mongolia, Uzbekistan and Russia to engage in overseas volunteer programs. They held a launching ceremony at the YU College of Education auditorium at 2 p.m. on June 28 and will take part in volunteer activities for two weeks during July.
The overseas exhibit program, which was newly established this summer break, is also receiving great responses from students. Students will visit exhibitions overseas to improve their capacities in their majors and enhance their global mindset. This program aims enhancing employment and startup capacities of students by giving opportunities to come up with startup ideas overseas. This year, 25 students in 10 teams will be sent to the US or Europe during summer break.
Kim Jae-won (25, School of Mechanical Engineering, senior), who will attend the ‘SEMICON 2019’ that will be held in San Francisco, USA for three days from July 9 to 11 through this overseas exhibit program, said, “I applied to participate in the exhibit to learn about the latest technology trends, flow of the fourth industrial revolution, and information on relevant companies. I would like to use my two weeks in the US to only attend the exhibit, but also visit US universities and global companies based in Silicon Valley and hold interviews with current professionals. I am excited as this will be a great experience before I graduate in February of next year.”
One of the most popular overseas dispatch programs supported by YU is ‘Window To the World’. In ‘Window To the World’, students make up teams and set their own theme to go on backpacking trips around the world. Selected students are given round-trip airfare, etc. by the school. Since starting in 2002, a total of 2,780 students traveled around the world. This summer 105 students will go backpacking around the world such as Europe, Australia, China, etc. in teams of 2 and 3.
Another overseas dispatch program that YU boasts is ‘OPP’ (Outbound Pilot Program). This is a overseas short-term language program for students who are interested in studying abroad or to become exchange students with overseas sister schools. OPP started in 2009 and has been joined by a total of 1,820 students. This summer break, 53 students will be dispatched to Malaysia through the OPP.
In addition, about 120 students will go to the United Kingdom, Australia, China and Japan through short-term language programs, overseas relics exploration, overseas internship, and overseas startup network programs. Thus, a total of over 360 YU students will travel all around the world.
YU President Sur Gil-soo said, “We are planning to expand expense-funded overseas dispatch programs to improve the global capacities of students. We will continuously look for and operate various types of internationalization programs to help students improve their competencies and enter the professional world.”
