ABOUT SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY

Sungkyunkwan is synonymous with both tradition and innovation in education.  The literal meaning of the university’s name is, “An institution for building a harmonious society of perfected human beings.”  The founding philosophy of Sungkyunkwan was needed then as much as it is needed in today’s technologically advanced society.  The university’s full time faculty of more than 1,300 is committed to quality teaching and research, offering students a challenging environment for intellectual and personal growth.

Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) is a world-class center of higher education with over 600 years of history.  Since its founding at the dawn of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), SKKU has demonstrated strong academic leadership.  Contemporary SKKU has embraced globalization and emerged as a leading university in Asia and the world.  In fact, in all core disciplines, SKKU actively encourages global research and collaboration through academic exchange of faculty and students, and the development of innovative educational and research programs with our global partners.

As the oldest university in East Asia, it has fostered leaders of our society for over 600 years.  SKKU's main ideology, “ (Su-Gi-Chi-In)”, teaches that SKKU students should strive to perfect themselves as leaders and contribute to our society.  This ideology is the fundamental principle by which SKKU brought up leaders of our society for over 600 years, thus contributing to the evolution of our society.  SKKU aims to educate future global leaders equipped with this ideology so that it will further contribute to international society.  Sungkyunkwan University continuously pursues integration of its founding philosophy with modern technology in order to cultivate global talents who will lead the 21st century.

History of Sungkyunkwan: 618 Years of Academic Excellence

Sungkyunkwan was founded over 600 years ago by royal decree to promote Confucian scholarship.  As the nation’s highest educational institution, Sungkyunkwan went through vicissitudes with the country it served over the centuries.  It would be misleading, however, to view the university merely in the context of its premodern history.  What the university has achieved in the past 50 years meets and exceeds that of the 500 years preceding our current century.  After liberation from Japanese occupation, with the emergence of the Republic of Korea, Sungkyunkwan underwent a renaissance as a private university.  As Korea modernized and underwent social and economic reforms, the university grew rapidly to address the diverse demands of the advancing country.  Though a long history alone cannot guarantee the excellence of an institution, the rich culture which exudes from this ancient heritage is surely a unique and valuable asset.  In addition, we take pride in the university’s innovative spirit.