An international student exchange programme, run across seven partnership organisations, which encourages students to develop a deeper understanding of Korean business and culture, has doubled its participants in the last year.
The Korea and EU Degree Opportunities for Students (KEUDOS) project sent 40 students to Korea in the 2014/15 academic session – an increase of 100 per cent on 2013/14.
Northumbria University is a very successful partner in the project, which is funded by the European Union and South Korean government, organised by Kyungpook National University and led by Budapest University of Technology and Economics.
KEUDOS allows participating undergraduate students from all degree programmes to spend a full year in Korea at one of the two partner universities – Kyungpook National University in Daegu or Chonnam National University in Gwangju.
Students receive two degrees - one from the partner institution and one from Northumbria University - across a four year period.
Both Kyungpook and Chonnam have Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation, which supports Northumbria in its accreditation strategy. Newcastle Business School at Northumbria was recently awarded an accreditation in both business and accounting at the AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting, and is the only university in Europe with the double accreditation.
Project manager Dr Alison Pearce believes that the project has been a revelation for both students and academics alike.
She said: “Historically, the reputation of UK universities has been that students are not interested in studying abroad – but this project has shown that for us, it’s completely the opposite. It’s been described as ‘the miracle of Northumbria’, and it’s something we’re incredibly proud of.
“It’s not just about students going over there to study; they have to adjust to a very challenging – and at times – alien environment and culture.
“In the last couple of years, Korea has become the most popular destination with students and we are fantastically successful in terms of the number of students that go to Korea. The participating students are so enthusiastic about the experience and very active in supporting younger students and encouraging them to go for the opportunity.”
The programme was preceded by the Study and Internship Program for European and Korean Students (SAIPEKS) project - funded by the European Union and South Korean government - and is now being developed into ‘Keudos+’ with a focus on staff and research mobility.
In 2014, KEUDOS was shortlisted for the Times Higher ‘International Collaboration of the Year Award’ and has also been nominated for the European Association for International Education’s (EAIE) Best Practice in International award this year. The results are being presented at conferences across the world, demonstrating the global impact of the project.
Kyungpook National University recently hosted a KEUDOS graduation event which was attended by KNU President and UK Ambassador to Korea, Charles Hay, and the director of the British Council for Korea, Martin Fryer.
The KEUDOS experience is built around graduate employability and allows students to differentiate themselves.
As part of the selection process, students present on what they plan to get out of the experience, describe how they will promote Northumbria University and demonstrate how they’ve researched Korea and its culture.
Alison said: “Students usually have to choose between getting international study and a UK workplace internship but in KEUDOS they can work and study simultaneously.
“Choosing to go to Korea says something very different about you. For students who have taken part, subsequent interviews always tend to be dominated by questions about their experience of Korea.
“It’s one of the most technically advanced nations in the world; the employment opportunities are massive and it’s now having much more of an influence culturally.”
KEUDOS has also led to significant staff and joint research projects. Northumbria staff are currently working with the KEUDOS partners in developing pedagogical theories about how students are recruited, engaged and supported to develop authentic international experience and how staff make it a successful and fruitful experience for them.
Joe Costello recently graduated from Chonnam National University as part of the project.
He said: “Korea was never a country I considered visiting but after attending a presentation on Asian destinations hosted by Alison Pearce and Andy Garton, I was gripped. Northumbria staff are so enthusiastic and passionate about the project and I got a clear outline of what to expect.
“I became very adventurous and resilient to challenge and change. I’m also really interested in football and cooking – two things Korea has in plentiful supply.
“Living in Korea allowed me to experience a new way of living, rewriting the norm I had come to expect in England and challenged my views on how best to live my life. It’s had such a positive impact on my personality, my work ethic and my taste in music, food and sport. My communication skills have developed as have my organisational skills and I’ve developed a sense of maturity.”
Joe recently won a national competition for a Korean government scholarship which will allow him to study intensive Korean in the country for a year, in order to reach the standard necessary to study at Master’s level for the next two years. He has also been accepted onto the Frontier Business Administration course at the Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul.
