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Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (known officially as “KAIST”), a national research university located in Daejeon, South Korea, will soon become a study abroad option for UC Santa Cruz students.
Regarded as one of the leading science and technology universities in Asia and the world, KAIST’s relationship with UCSC has expanded over the past several years. The continued relationship growth is thanks to Steve Kang, former President of KAIST, and current BSOE Distinguished Chair Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Currently, KAIST sends students to study engineering courses during the UCSC Summer Session.
With encouragement and support from Professor Kang, the Division of Global Engagement has begun negotiating a student exchange agreement between UCSC and KAIST. This partnership will provide UCSC students with an opportunity to study abroad at KAIST for one or two semesters during the regular academic year.
KAIST offers an attractive study abroad destination for UCSC students, particularly those majoring in STEM fields such as Computer Science and Engineering. The vast majority of courses at KAIST are taught in English, which is representative of a growing trend amongst universities throughout Asia, and Korea in particular. As part of the development of the exchange agreement, CSE Professor Matthew Guthaus has been working in consultation with KAIST faculty to identify courses for CSE majors to take during a semester or two abroad.
As with all of the new institutional partners that are part of UCSC’s exchange and visiting student program, KAIST has been reviewed and approved by the Academic Senate. Students who study abroad at KAIST will be eligible to earn UC credit.
Kyoto University
A representative from Kyoto University visited UC Santa Cruz on Jan. 24, 2019. The representative traveled to Santa Cruz to continue explorations into a potential international partnership between the universities.
Yoshihiro Katsumura, an International Education Administrator for Kyoto University, met with Divison of Global Engagement staff to discuss opportunities for exchanges, and student mobility. In addition, Katsumura toured the campus and explored downtown Santa Cruz to learn about student life.
UC Santa Cruz’s burgeoning relationship with Kyoto University began in August, when a UC Santa Cruz delegation led by Chancellor George Blumenthal traveled to Japan to meet with leadership at top universities, including Kyoto University. The meetings provided opportunities for the universities to learn about their respective teaching and research while focusing on opportunities for developing student exchange and deepening faculty collaborations.
Since the delegation’s trip in August, the Division of Global Engagement has continued conversations with the institutions in Japan, including Kyoto University, with the goal of finalizing student exchange agreements in 2019. The division anticipates exchange programs with new partners to be launched in 2020.
Additional Agreements
In addition to the partnerships described above, the division is continuing its work with faculty to develop several new agreement models that aim to facilitate increased graduate student mobility inbound and outbound, dual degree opportunities for international students, and more, with institutions in Australia, Germany, France, Italy, and Norway. For more detailed updates on these partnerships and more, be sure to check out the next issue of the Global Engagement newsletter.