# Soonchunhyang University

Soonchunhyang University (SCH) is a private university in Asan, South Korea.
Soonchunhyang University has a strength in the field of medicine, based on a Soonchunhyang University Hospitals. It ranked 9th among universities in South Korea, in the category of Clinical, Pre-Clinical & Health by Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 2023.

## History

The name 'Soonchunhyang' (순천향) means 'the peaceful hometown complying with the will of heaven'. The university's founder, Dr. Succ-Jo Suh named the school to reflect his philosophy in medical practices that "heaven will cure diseases; doctors only help the curing process".
Soonchunhyang University was founded by Dr. Succ-Jo Suh in 1978, as a College of Medicine with 80 students. It emerged as a university based on Soonchunhyang Hospital, which was established in 1974. While initially established with the purpose of training medical professionals, the university gradually developed into a comprehensive university over time, offering both undergraduate and graduate programs.
SCH received the 'National Award for Educational Reform Excellence' from the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in 2008, 2009, and 2010.
In 2017, the University was under scrutiny for their ties to ex-president Park Geun-hye during the court proceedings during the Impeachment of Park Geun-hye. The University President, Gyo-il Seo, allegedly received bribes for development from the President's office and Department of Education while university doctors prescribed President Park with illegal sleep medicines. Soonchunhyang University's support from the Ministry of Education increased from 7 billion won in 2012 and 4.5 billion won in 2013 to 8.1 billion won in 2014, 9.2 billion won in 2015, and 23.5 billion won in 2016 when the Park Geun-hye administration took office. This caused the University to lose public funding when Moon Jae-in was inaugurated, in turn causing the University to downscale and close its Department of Education.
On 8 February 2024, the Government of the Republic of Korea gave Soonchunhyang University a 1 year ban on the recruitment of international students as a result of an investigation following the unlawful forced deportation of 21 Uzbek students from Hanshin University. The government sited irregularities in the visa process, illegal stay ratio of students, failure rate of international students in Korean language courses, illegal employment of foreign students, and other factors prompted the government to ban Soonchunhyang for one year starting in the fall 2024 semester.

## Undergraduate colleges

* College of Humanities
* College of Social Sciences
* College of Natural Sciences
* College of Engineering
* College of Medical Science
* College of Medicine
* Global Business School

## Graduate schools

* Graduate School of Industrial Information
* Graduate School of Education
* Graduate School of Healthcare Science
* Graduate School of Public Administration
* Graduate School of Global Management

### Graduate School of Forensic Science

The School was established to educate students theoretical and application methods of scientific crime investigation. The graduate program focuses on the application of the physical, bio-medical, and social sciences to the analysis and evaluation of physical evidence, human testimony and criminal suspects. As of 2014 the Graduate School of Forensic Science established a Master's program in Digital Forensic Science.

## Departments
### College of medical sciences

* Department of Medical IT Engineering
* Department of Medical Biotechnology
* Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science
* Department of U-Healthcare Management
* Department of Premedical Studies
* Department of Occupational Therapy
* Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering

### College of medicine

* Department of Nursing
* Department of Medicine

### College of natural sciences

* Department of Life Sciences
* Department of Biotechnology
* Department of Ocean Life Science
* Department of Chemistry
* Department of Food Science & Nutrition
* Department of Environmental Health Science

## Ranking

* SCH ranked 151st for general education among Asia-Pacific universities by Chosun-QS Asia in 2010
* SCH ranked 8th for general education environment and for communication with students by Kyunhyang ERISS in 2010
* SCH ranked 135th for general education among Asia-Pacific universities by Chosun-QS Asia in 2009

## Transportation

SCH offered shuttle bus service from Seoul and various cities in Gyeonggi Province and Incheon. This was shut down after campus renovations and remodeling removed the campus bus station in early 2021.
SCH maintains a lending library for the local public within Sinchang-Soonchunhyang University Station. Books and periodicals range from academic texts to novels to general interest periodicals.
SCH undertook an educational initiative for its students commuting to campus by subway in Fall 2010, offering lectures in three university courses by SCH professors. The car of the train where the lectures are held is equipped with four LCD monitors, a beam projector, speakers, and a wireless microphone for the professors.

## University hospitals

SCU owns and operates four teaching hospitals in South Korea. These are general hospitals offering services in several departments such as Pediatric Neurology, Psychology, and Cardiovascular Surgery
| Hospital Name | Date Opened | Number of Beds |
| Soonchunhyang University Hospital Seoul | 1974 | 788 |
| Soonchunhyang University Hospital Gumi | 1979 | 369 |
| Soonchunhyang University Hospital Cheonan | 1982 | 963 |
| Soonchunhyang University Hospital Bucheon | 2001 | 957 |

## Global network

Soonchunhyang University maintains formal educational partnerships with 88 post-secondary institutions worldwide. These partner institutions are found in the US, China, Finland, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Cambodia, Thailand and several other countries.

## Global village

The SCH Global Village on Soonchunhyang's is a living facility for Korean and international students . As a concept, the Global Village is intended to bridge the formal educational and social needs of students participating in the Asian Studies, English Village, Chinese Village, and Japanese Village programs.
The School for Global Education and Exchange also maintains a separate student lounge where students may keep up on global events through Korean and English cable television, English- and Korean-language print news media, and PC terminals equipped with high-speed internet access.

## Confucius Institute

The Confucius Institute at SCU was established on September 28, 2007 in affiliation with the Tianjin Foreign Studies University in China, with a mandate to promote Chinese language education and cultural learning . Programs include Chinese language education classes, Chinese youth camp, and cultural field trips to China.
As of June 15, 2010, the Confucius Institute at SCH and the local government of Asan City began to offer programs for Asan's youth through the Asan City Youth Education and Culture Center (link to reference).
In 2008 and 2009, The Confucius Institute was rated first in Korea and third in the world for overall achievement by Confucius Institute headquarters.

## Asian Studies

The Asian Studies Program is a special university program that brings students from several countries to SCH for one-three semesters. The program includes approximately 50 courses conducted in English, such as Korean Studies, Asian culture classes, history, politics, economics, and Korean Language.

## University clubs

* Hansori performs 'samulnori', About 50 members practice every week for playing regular and temporary performance.
* Since 1981, the Byuk theater group performs two regular plays a year, and casual play sometimes.
* Since 1985, the Korean Traditional Percussion Group has explored Korean musical traditions. Currently, there are 50 members to this club, including 34 undergraduate students.
* The Thu.G club meets regularly to practice rapping and beat box skills. The club holds four main performances throughout the school year.
* The Sun C.A Cheerleading Squad meets weekly to practice dances and movement for cheerleading. With 38 members (30 of whom are undergraduates
* DENIS (Dance Energy Nation In Soonchunhyang) practices street dance
* CHORD is one of Soonchunhyang's longest-standing clubs. Established in 1986, this club currently maintains 200 members (including 50 undergraduate students), who regularly perform at events such as the annual regular and open concerts, mini concerts for new students, SCH Music Festival, and periodic field trips. This club won first place in the KBS TV Academic Music Festival in 1988, and took second place in the same festival in 1991. In 2006, CHORD won first place in the Korean Amateur Music Festival.
* M. Giuliani, or Classical Guitar Circle, currently has 99 members, 40 of whom are undergraduate students. This club offers guitar lessons to its members and participates in mini concerts and regular concerts annually.
* Soongumhoi is the campus fencing club, with 150 members (30 of whom are undergraduate students). T
* The Tae Kwon Do club was established in 1992 with 20 members, and has expanded to 60 members (including 37 undergraduate students).
* The Calligraphy Group was founded in 1978. Currently, 38 members (30 of whom are undergraduate students). During regular meetings, members practice Korean-style calligraphy (called soye) .

## Notable alumni

* Jeon No-min, actor