As the gateway to Korea, it appears fitting that Incheon is taking the lead in attracting reputed foreign universities seeking to take root in the country.

As prestigious universities turn their eyes toward the nation well known for its education fever, Incheon Global Campus is seeking to become the mecca of global education in Northeast Asia by attracting talents from all over the world.

“In the era of global competition, we are seeking to foster next-generation global leaders who will lead the way in business, culture, art and academics,” IGC officials said. The educational innovation at the IGC can also contribute to Korea’s growth and boost President Park Geun-hye’s creative economy initiative, they added.

In March 2012, the State University of New York Korea became the first university to open at IGC, followed by George Mason University Korea in March this year. In September, the University of Utah Asia Campus and Ghent University Global Campus became the latest tenants of IGC.

Universities at the IGC are “extended campuses” of universities whose graduation assessment and educational management are run by their main campuses. The home campuses are also in charge of appointing faculty members, and students spend one year at the home campus to complete their degrees.

Upon graduation, students are awarded the same degree as their counterparts at the home campus.

The IGC also has the advantage of being located in Songdo International City. Universities are adjacent to high-tech clusters and R&D complexes, and can seek partnerships with them. Some universities already offer internship opportunities.

The Korean government recently announced plans to boost investment in education, which could lead to the branches of other prestigious universities nesting in Korea in the near future. Specialized colleges like the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) at SUNY are currently seeking to expand here.

A joint introductory session on studying at the three universities, which are already operational at IGC, will be held at Coex in southern Seoul on Dec. 13 from 2 p.m. More details are provided on the Incheon Global Campus website, www.sgu.or.kr.


SUNY Korea

As the pioneer among U.S. universities coming to Incheon, SUNY Korea now attracts students from 20 countries across the world including the U.S., China, Iran, Kenya, Ghana and Uzbekistan.

The students who apply here are brilliant minds, officials said. The top 20 percent of the applicants for technology and society scored around 2,300 in their Scholastic Aptitude Tests. According to the education firm College Board, California Institute of Technology had the highest average SAT scores of freshmen in the U.S. at 2,300.

In addition, the school offers degrees in computer science and mechanical engineering, certified by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Its graduate students focus on fields like robotics, computational fluid dynamics, smart energy and electrical vehicles.

Those preparing for a Ph.D. in computer science can apply for a state-funded scholarship program that covers full tuition along with living expenses and dormitory fees.

Kim Choon-ho, the president of SUNY Korea, has said he is looking for students with potential, not credentials. The school is looking to expand the number of students from 228 to 2,000 by 2021.


George Mason University Korea

George Mason University’s reputation has had its share of the spotlight; it was 78th in the recent university rankings by Webometrics, and was also ranked No. 68 on Forbes’ list of “best college buys.”

But the accomplishment of its faculty and alumni are what truly attests to the school’s status.

Two Nobel Prizes in economic science were awarded to its acclaimed faculty members recently, one to James Buchanan and the other to Vernon Smith. Tyler Cowen, another teacher from George Mason, was nominated as one of the most influential economists in the last decade in a survey by The Economist.

The list of notable alumni include former U.S. treasurer Anna E. Cabral, Anousheh Ansari ― the first self-funded woman to fly to the International Space Station ― and former U.S. deputy secretary of education William D. Hansen.

Its Korean campus launched earlier this year by offering courses in economics and management and it is planning to add global affairs to the mix by March.

Students here will spend their third year at the university’s main campus in Fairfax, Virginia. 


Ghent University Global Campus

A university of nearly two-century-long history, Ghent University has earned its name for being one of the world’s top institutes in bioscience. In the Times Higher Education’s 2014-15 ranking, it took the No. 38 spot.

Its prominent status is reflected in the success enjoyed by its researchers like molecular biologist Walter Fiers ― the first to establish the complete nucleotide sequences of a gene and a viral genome.

Ghent University extended its reach to Korea by becoming the first European university to become part of IGC. It started off by offering bachelor’s programs in food technology, environmental technology and molecular biotechnology, which will be taught in English.

Faculty at the Korea campus consists of permanent academic staff, supplemented by professors in specialized courses who will be deputed from the main campus.

The education programs at the school focus on the studies in technology, engineering and mathematics, while the fundamental courses applicable to all students from the three departments will be taught as common courses.

Students are mandated to spend one semester of their third year on the main campus.


University of Utah Asia Campus

The Korean campus of the Utah-based university kicked off its first semester in September by launching three undergraduate degrees ― communication, social work and psychology ― and one graduate degree in public health.

The University of Utah is well known for its research prowess; it was classified as one of the “research universities with very high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. With education and research in focus, it emphasizes on innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship for its students.

It also has notable faculty members like Mario Capecchi, the cowinner of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and Kim Sung-wan, a distinguished professor of bioengineering.

Students at its Asia campus will benefit from the identical education courses as the home campus in Salt Lake City, and will even spend one year there. Undergraduates will spend the first three years at IGC and their final year at the home campus, while graduates students will split the two years with one at each campus.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)