-
‘COVID-19 Donation Campaign’ hosted by the YU Student Council gathers 7 million KRW Purchased goods such as mouth wash delivered to Daegu Medical Center and YU Medical Center [March 23, 2020] <YU students purchased gathered funds through the Beat COVID-19 Campaign to purchase supplies and deliver to local medical professionals at Daegu Medical Center and YU Medical Center> YU students chipped in to help support local medical professionals fighting with COVID-19 on the front lines. The donations made by students and gathered by the YU Student Council were used to purchase supplies and delivered it to Daegu Medical Center and YU Medical Center on the 19th. The YU Student Council organized a donation campaign to beat COVID-19 from March 5 to March 12. This campaign held online such as on Facebook for eight days resulted in gathering about 7 million KRW. The YU Student Council checked the supplies needed on staff by medical professionals by contacting the Daegu Medical Center External Cooperation Department and the YU Medical Center COVID-19 Situation Room to purchase and deliver the necessary supplies. The supplies include immediately consumable goods for medical professionals such as shampoo, body wash, mouth wash, disinfecting wet tissues, necklace-type pens, beverages, etc. YU’s 53rd Student Council President Park Jong-joo (27, Department of Food Science and Technology, senior) that planned out this donation campaign said, “YU students participated actively in this donation campaign organized by the Student Council and so we were able to deliver their goodwill to local medical professionals.” He added, “After meeting with the medical professionals on the front lines battling COVID-19, I gained belief that we will soon beat this COVID-19 crisis. I hope that everyone in the community works together to beat COVID-19 together.”
-
Department of Medical Biotechnology Professor Jin Joon-oh’s team confirms ‘FimH’ protein ‘in-body immunity activation’ functions ‘FimH’ improves functions of immunity and cancer treatment drugs and suppresses growth of cancer Research achievements published in latest issue of the internationally acclaimed academic journal <Nature Communications> [March 13, 2020] YU Department of Medical Biotechnology Professor Jin Joon-oh’s (40) team discovered a new immunity fortifier ‘FimH’ that can improve anti-cancer effects. Professor Jin’s research team verified through research that ‘FimH’, an adherence protein of colon bacillus, helps activate the human immune system and that it can suppress growth of cancer. The results of this study were published in the most recent issue of the internationally acclaimed academic journal <Nature Communications, impact factor (IF) = 11.8> (March 4, 2020). The research team saw colon bacillus attaching to the large intestinal epithelial cell and came up with the idea to separate ‘FimH’ from colon bacillus flagellum and confirmed that this protein had immunity activation functions in immunocytes inside rats and human blood. It was found that FimH activated the immune system in the body through the toll-like receptor 4 (receptor that plays an important role in inherent immunity for microorganisms by detecting microorganism patterns and defending against it) of dendritic cells, while also confirming that when administered by combining with cancer antigens, the growth of melanoma and epithelial cell carcinoma. Furthermore, it was confirmed that it can increase the anti-cancer effects of the recently developed immune checkpoint inhibitors, thereby improving cancer treatment efficiency. Dendritic cells are immuno-cells that exist in the human body and it has been reported that they collect pathogens that invade from the outside and tag protein antigens to induce activation of T lymph nodes, which are a type of white blood cells. Activated T lymph nodes find pathogens containing antigens and selectively destroy them to protect the human body and treat disease. Professor Jin said, “Cancer treatment through immune checkpoint inhibitors have recently received a lot of attention. However, treatment efficiency drops for patients with low immune checkpoint protein manifestation.” He added, “It was found that by mixing FimH, a new immune fortifier that we discovered with the immune checkpoint inhibitor Anti-PD-LI antigen, the anti-cancer effects rose greatly. It is expected to be possible to use as a drug for improving efficiency of immune checkpoint inhibitors.” Dr. Jin’s research team found that in the case of this newly discovered immunity fortifier FimH, immuno-cell activation abilities were excellent, while in-body toxicity was very low. Furthermore, it is a water-soluble material that melts well in water compared to other existing low-toxicity checkpoint receptor stimulation materials, it has the advantage that it can be mixed with various other vaccines for administration. FimH can be used for cancer vaccine development and infectious disease vaccine fortifiers, and it is expected that it will lower prices for vaccines, while increasing efficiency. Meanwhile, Professor Jin has published his research achievements that were international recognized in the immunotherapy and vaccine development fields. In December of 2018, he published a study on development of a new vaccine using influenza antigens in a one of the world’s leading journals, <Biomaterials, impact factor (IF) = 10.27> and published his research on the development of immunotherapy drugs for treating metastatic cancer in <Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer (IF)=8.728>.
-
Expand non-face-to-face education and increase efficiency through ‘two-directional/real-time/online’ High usability in situations where offline education is limited such as for Corona19... High expectations for students Use for career/employment consulting, special employment lectures, mock video conferencing interviews, group consulting, mentoring, etc. [March 11, 2020] YU (President Sur Gil-soo) constructed the ‘Online Career/Employment Support System’ on the 9th. With the construction of this system, YU has become enabled to support online, real-time ▲one-on-one career/employment consulting ▲special lectures on employment ▲mock video conferencing interviews ▲group consulting and mentoring, etc. It is expected that it will be very useful in situations where face-to-face education with students is difficult due to reasons such as the recently spreading COVID-19. In particular, there are high expectations from students on two-directional online real-time career/employment consulting between students and consultants using the live video conferencing program. Students who applied for career/employment consulting in advance can receive employment consulting anytime, anywhere using a PC or mobile device. Park Ga-yeon (22, Department of English Language and Literature, senior), who received consulting on the first day of the opening of the system, said, “I had experience receiving face-to-face consulting offline and after receiving this online video conference consulting, I felt no big difference in terms of quality. In fact, I liked it because I was able to save time of having to physically go to the place for consulting and that I could receive consulting regardless of location. I think I will be busy preparing for employment as I am a senior now, and so I think using the online consulting service frequently will be a good idea.” YU expects that by using this system, 23 consultants for career and employment consulting will provide individual consulting for about 100 students a day. It has become possible for various special lectures by experts and real-time online two-directional mentoring to strengthen employment competence. A total of 25 lectures can be opened simultaneously and up to 100 students can connect to each lecture, therefore, making it possible for a maximum of 2,500 students to participate at the same time. Furthermore, it is possible to share various contents offered by the educator in real-time, and it is thus expected to improve the quality of education as well. YU will test the online video conferencing system for the 1st special career lecture for the 2020 school year on the 12th. Special lectures received huge attention from students, and applications were filled almost as soon as it was opened. From the 14th, the employment senior mentoring program will also be available and plans are to continue to expand to various extra-curricular programs in the future. YU College Job Center Director Lee Seung-woo said, “It has become possible to go beyond the one-directional employment education model that was centered on offline classes, thus making it possible to improve flexibility for the career/employment support education operation method.” He added, “Especially with the COVID-19 issue, face-to-face employment consulting and providing education has become limited, and therefore, it is expected to be used more by students. We will do our best so that the university can construct various systems so that students can receive high quality education and services regardless of when and where in whatever situation.”
-
Class of ‘70 alumnus in textile engineering, supports juniors at alma mater with the will to beat COVID-19 “Trust in the ability to overcome regional crisis... Ask YU alumni to overcome COVID-19” YU Finance and Economy Alumni Association Kim Seok-hoe and others join in donating for funds to beat COVID-19 at YU [March 18, 2020] <YU General Alumni Association Senior Vice-chairman Goh Dong-hyeon handed over 10 million KRW to his alma mater YU on the 17th to beat COVID-19> (from left to right: YU President Sur Gil-soo, General Alumni Association Senior Vice-chairman Goh Dong-hyeon) YU General Alumni Association Senior Vice-chairman Goh Dong-hyeon (67) handed over 10 million KRW in donations to his alma mater YU on the 17th to beat COVID-19. Senior Vice-chairman Goh Dong-hyeon met with YU President Sur Gil-soo at YU at 3 p.m. on the 17th and handed over a donation indicating his hope to help with the university that is faced with difficulties due to COVID-19. Vice-chairman Goh said, “As an entrepreneur based in the region, I have many concerns about the spread of COVID-19 that is having a big impact on the local community. However, I am firmly confident that we will overcome this crisis as I know the power of our region that has overcome many difficulties in the past.” He added, “I ask other YU alumni leading not only the Daegu-Gyeongbuk area, but in different parts of the Republic of Korea to beat COVID-19.” Senior Vice-chairman Goh is a YU alumnus from the class of ‘70 in textile engineering and has been continuously working to help develop his alma mater. Including this donation to overcome COVID-19, he donated 36 million KRW for development funds for YU. Mr. Goh, who is the CEO of Ehwa Cotton Gin, a textile product manufacturing company located in Daegu, also serves as the chairman of the Korean Cotton Industry Cooperative, joint chairman of the Traditional Manufacturing Committee, chairman of the West Daegu Industrial Complex Management Corporation, and chairman of the Daegu Textile Product Cooperative. YU alumni have recently been making donations one after the other to beat COVID-19. On March 4, YU Finance and Economy Alumni Association Chairman Kim Seok-hoe donated 10 million KRW including rice gifts and monetary gifts that he received at his inauguration ceremony to YU for the purpose of overcoming COVID-19. YU President Sur Gil-soo said, “I am very thankful as the president of YU for the seniors who remember and support YU and their juniors in difficult times.” He added, “We will take the support of alumni and encourage all members of the university including both students and faculty to make concerted efforts to overcome COVID-19.”
-
-
YU Medical Center is operating a ‘Drive-through’ testing station ‘Drive-through’ testing station that can be used without leaving one’s vehicle including registration, medical interview, payment, etc. [February 26, 2020] YU Medical Center (Director Kim Sung-ho) announced that it would begin operations of the daytime drive-through testing station from 8:30 in the morning of the 26th. The daytime drive-through testing station installed between the main building of YU Medical Center and the steel-framed parking lot will be operated only during the day from 08:30 to 17:30 as of now. After these hours, the testing station in front of the YU Medical Center Regional Emergency Medicine Center will be opened until 22:30. Lunch is from 12:00 to 13:00 and the daytime testing center can be used also by pedestrians without vehicles. A spokesperson for YU said, “We decided to operate the daytime testing station as a drive-through during hours when most people visit the station in case a person who comes for the coronavirus disease-19 test is tested positive,” while adding, “The entire registration, examination, payment, and specimen collection process is performed with the patient in the vehicle, therefore, it is expected that it will be possible to prevent infection and conduct testing efficiently.” It was added that in the event that many people come to the daytime drive-through testing center at one time, the hours can be changed, and the wait time may become quite long.
-
If 50 candidates, three from YU... All three as enrolled undergraduates Three police commissioners from YU... Continuing the tradition of fostering senior police executives Department of Police Administration records 21 students for passing police officer examinations as students over the past two years [February 19, 2020] <YU students who passed the employment test for the 69th police cadet candidates (left to right: Kwon In-hyuk, Choi Won-joon)> YU (President Sur Gil-soo) recorded three students passing the 2020 69th police cadet employment test. All three passed the test while still enrolled as students. This test had 50 passers (35 general test, 5 women, special sector (10 from tax accounting, data processing and information communication)), and three in the general test were from YU. The three that passed the examination were YU Chunma Honors School Senior Kwon In-hyuk (29), School of Economics and Finance Senior Park Su-ho (27) and Department of Information and Communication Engineering Sophomore Choi Won-joon (24). Choi Won-joon, who has just become a sophomore, surprised everybody by passing the test just two years since starting college. Mr. Choi passed the written test on his first try in 2018, but was not accepted at the end. This time, he placed his name on the passer list by passing the written test, physical test, and interview. Mr Choi said, “While serving as a conscripted policeman for my military service, I became to understand the importance of the occupation of policemen, and I began to dream of becoming a police executive.” He added, “It was not an easy challenge, but my goal was clear and I studied hard, which is why I was able to pass earlier than expected.” Mr. Kwon In-hyuk said, “After passing my written test and during the physical test, I injured my hamstring, but I pushed forward through my willpower and completed the test.” He said, “Preparing for tests is a life of repetition for a long time and it is certainly not easy. I think that even if you are held back once in a while, the most important thing is not to be shaken up and trust yourself and continue persevering.” Those who passed the 69th police cadet test will receive training for one year as a cadet at the Police Academy from February 24 and then be appointed as lieutenants with other graduates of the Police Academy. YU graduated a total of three Commissioner Generals, which is equivalent to Police Commissioner, including Choi Gi-moon (currently, mayor of Yeongcheon), numerous local police commissioners including Seoul District Police Agency Chief Kim Seok-gi, and police chiefs including Seo Hyun-soo. YU expects to continue its tradition of fostering high-ranking police officials with the three police executive cadets this time around. Meanwhile, YU newly established the Department of Police Administration in 2014 (admissions quota of 40) and appointed professors from the Police Academy, thus receiving reviews that it operates an optimized curriculum for fostering police officers. It had visible achievements in just five years of establishing the department. In recent police officer examinations, nine in 2018 and 12 in 2019 passed (9 as police, 1 as railway police, 1 for educational administration, and 1 for general administration) while they were still enrolled as students, and one person every year moved on to law school.
-
At the recently held Finance and Economy Alumni chairman inauguration ceremony, rice baskets, etc. received as gifts changed to cash for donation Shared alumni’s concerns for juniors... Funds to be utilized for preventive activities against COVID-19 on campus “Please overcome the crisis with the vigor of Cheonma and stay healthy while studying” [March 5, 2020] YU Finance and Economy Alumni Association Kim Seok-hoe delivered 10 million KRW as donations for the efforts to overcome COVID-19 at his alma mater, YU on the 4th.> YU Finance and Economy Alumni Association Kim Seok-hoe (63, Architectural Engineering class of ‘75, CEO of Bolim Construction) delivered donations of 10 million KRW to his alma mater, YU, on the 4th to help with the efforts to overcome COVID-19. This donation came from rice baskets, cash gifts, etc. that he received at the inauguration ceremony as the chairman of the YU Finance and Economy Alumni Association, for which he was thinking about how to put to good use. He decided to pass on this money for the health of his juniors at YU with the rapid increase of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Daegu/Gyeongbuk region. YU Finance and Economy Alumni Association Chairman Kim Seok-hoe said, “Whenever I hear news that COVID-19 infection is spreading in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk region, I listen up carefully worried that my alma mater and juniors might be affected.” He added, “When I recently met my fellow alumni in Seoul, they all shared the same concerns that I did. We hope that our juniors, who have not yet stepped on campus for this new semester, will be able to wisely overcome COVID-19 with the vigor of Cheonma and study at the YU campus being healthy.” YU decided to use the funds donated by Chairman Kim for prevention activities of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the YU Finance and Economy Alumni Association’s love for their alma mater and juniors has been wide known to be very special. Alumni from finance and economics hold an annual home-coming day to visit YU and they also hold alumni welcoming ceremonies for those landing jobs in the Seoul area to encourage their juniors, thus exhibiting extraordinary unity. YU President Sur Gil-soo said, “Students and YU should feel a great deal of support as they have senior alumni who congratulate them in happy times and who lend a hand in times of difficulties.” He added, “I know how the finance and economics alumni, who quietly support YU at all times wherever they are, feel. We will do our best to respond not only to COVID-19, but to create a healthy and safe campus through the united efforts of YU faculty and staff.”
-
Exporting ‘Saemaul Studies’ to Cambodian university, 2+2 diploma program offered Opened doors to exchange in cultural arts with Cambodia’s top royal university of fine arts Attended by the Korean Ambassador to Cambodia, expected to expand the New Southward Policy [February 19, 2020] <YU President Sur Gil-soo and Western University Kieng Rotana (right) exchange MOUs> “The Saemaul Undong was the key driving force for the Republic of Korea, which was an aide recipient, to become an advanced nation that is an aide contributor. This experience has been recognized as a development model for developing countries from the international community. Today will be a historical day where Korea’s Saemaul Undong, which is a living textbook, was pledged to be shared with Cambodia. YU will not forget its mission as the university that developed the Saemaul Undong into Saemaul Studies and will do its best together with you to foster Saemaul leaders of Cambodia.” This is what YU President Sur Gil-soo recently said to the students and faculty of Wester University (President Kieng Rotana). YU will begin offering dual diploma programs with foreign universities with ‘Saemaul Studies’. This is the first time that a native Korean academic discipline, and not an imported discipline, is being exported to a foreign university for dual diploma programs. For this, Mr. Sur visited Western University in the morning of January 31 and signed a Memorandum of Understanding for implementing the Saemaul Studies dual diploma program with the attendance of about 200 students and faculty members. Western University is a private university ranked seventh in all of Cambodia and it has a total of three campuses in Phnom Penh and Kampong Cham. There are about 5,000 students currently enrolled and it is a university that is actively looking toward fostering global human resources by offering dual diploma programs with aviation logistics departments with universities in Australia, USA, Thailand and Singapore. With this MOU, Western University will newly offer the Saemaul Economic Development Department at its Phnom Penh and Kampong Cham campuses in the early half of this year, and it will accept 40 and 30 freshmen, respectively, in each. Thus, 70 new students at the Western University Saemaul Economic Development Department will study for two years in Cambodia from November of this year, and then transfer to the YU International Development and Saemaul Undong two years later in September 2022 and study for two years more. And by the end of August 2024, they will receive their bachelor’s in Saemaul Studies from both YU and Western University, thus being recorded as not only Korea’s, but the world’s first dual diploma graduates in Saemaul studies. Western University Chairman Te Laurant said in his congratulatory address, “Cambodia’s future depends on our two universities. Let’s operate the dual diploma program with a grave sense of responsibility to contribute to the development of national development.” He also announced his plans to provide study-abroad scholarships to five students, showing his strong will to support the dual diploma program. The local press was also highly interested. YU President Sur Gil-soo and Western University President Kieng Rotana followed the MOU signing ceremony with interviews explaining the operation plans and eligibility for the dual diploma program, details on career choices after graduation, and it was aired nationwide by TV news on all broadcasting companies in Cambodia. (photo on left, YU President Sur Gil-soo being interviewed by local press) It took about two years to finalize this MOU. YU first received a request for export of Saemaul studies to Western University at the time of entering an international exchange agreement between the two universities in April 2018, and then in April of 2019, YU received a request to export Saemaul studies directly from the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhaily. YU responded by organizing a project team as part of the URI (University-Region Innovation) project currently being pursued with the support of the Industry-Academic Cooperation Team. Professor Choi Wae-chul, who created the ‘Saemaul Studies’ and is currently serving as an advisor to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, was appointed as the supervising researcher. He drove the negotiations for opening the Saemaul Economic Development Department and offering dual diploma programs with Western University, which finally came into fruition. Such achievements are the result of YU constructing the educational infrastructure for Saemaul studies and its leading efforts to construct a global network. Starting with the opening of the ‘Regional Society Development Department’ in 1976, research and education in regional social development and Saemaul Undong-related fields were continued for the past 40 years, and the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Seamaul was established in 2011 giving master’s degrees to a total of 593 people from 63 countries around the world. Such efforts and abilities were finally recognized by the international community. Furthermore, the fact that over 40 Cambodian alumni who earned their master’s at the Park Chung Hee School returned to Cambodia and are playing crucial roles in the education ministry, local development ministry, foreign affairs ministry, tourism ministry, parliament, central bank and NGOs also helped with the push for exporting Saemaul studies and the dual diploma program in Cambodia. YU is also discussing exports of Saemaul studies with two national universities recommended by the Cambodian education ministry. Moreover, countries like Tanzania, Zambia, Indonesia, East Timor and Pakistan are also requesting YU to export Saemaul studies. <YU President Sur Gil-soo and RUFA Rector Sovath (right) takes a photo with the MOU> Meanwhile, Mr. Sur and his entourage visited the Royal University of Fine Arts, which is the oldest university of Cambodia on January 30 and met with Cambodian Vice Minister of Culture and chairman of RUFA Som Sokhun to sign an international academic exchange agreement with the attendance of Korean Ambassador to Cambodia Park Heung-gyeong (photo above). Ambassador Park said in his congratulatory address, “As the Korean government’s New Southward Policy aims at ‘fostering a peaceful community focusing on people’ by strengthening cooperation in various fields including economic, cultural and human exchange between Korea and ASEAN, I am certain that the exchange cooperation between the two universities will also play a part in achieving the goal of the New Southward Policy” to congratulate the opening of the doors to exchange in the culture and arts sector between not only the two universities, but between the two nations. Students of RUFA put on performances including traditional dances, singing Arirang, and chamber music to commemorate the exchange.
-
International students at Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul step up to help residents who suffered from the eruption of Taal in the Philippines Donations of 1.1 million KRW delivered through YU international students from the Philippines Delivered toilet kits and blankets, etc. to 50 displaced households [February 13, 2020] <YU Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul students who gathered relief funds and delivered it to the victims of the volcanic eruption in the Philippines> “Dear citizens of Philippines, the entire world supports you. Cheer up!” International students at YU stepped up to help victims of the volcanic eruption in the Philippines. They delivered the contributions for displayed people who suffered from the damages of the eruption of Taal in Batangas, Philippines on January 12. International students at the Park Chung Hee School who learned about the volcanic eruption in the Philippines gathered a total of 1.1 million KRW and gave it to Maridel Christine A. Amor (25) and Mary Rose Bernadette Mabato) from the Philippines who study with them at the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul. The Filipino students who received the funds said, “It was hard to hear bad news about my home country while studying abroad. The consolations of my fellow students studying here were great encouragements,” while adding, “I am very grateful for the contributions that they took out from their tight budget while studying abroad. The donations by the students at the Park Chung Hee School will be a great help for our citizens to once again get back on their feet.” Maridel Christine A. Amor, an international student at YU who received the funds, passed it on to Joash Pante living in the Philippines to get relief items to the displaced people (photo on left). Mr. Pante also studied at YU as an international student for one year from September 2012 to August 2013 at YU. Meanwhile, local institutes also contributed in helping the displaced people with the funds delivered by YU. Personnel from the University of Batangas, Philippine Physical Therapy Association Batangas Province Chapter, and the Saint Patrick's Hospital Medical Center purchased and delivered portable toilet kits, pillows, blankets, etc. to be distributed to 50 displaced families.
