Sookmyung Women's University is a private women's research university in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 1906, Sookmyung is Korea’s first royal private educational institution for women. Sookmyung is one of the world's largest female educational institutes. The university's name is derived from the Hanja characters of sook and Myung, which mean "elegant" and "bright" respectively.

Timeline

Campus

Sookmyung Women's University consists of a Main Campus and a Second Foundation Campus. The Second Foundation Campus, constructed upon the second founding and declaration of the university, is the cultural center of the university and home to the "S Leadership Program". The Renaissance Plaza, which has become a landmark, symbol and hub of Sookmyung Women's University, features cultural attractions and activities.

Academic programs

General Education for Leadership

First-year students automatically become a part of the Division of General Education for Leadership. Sookmyung Women's university has a global cooperation department. In the department, there are global cooperation and entrepreneurship majors. Officially, all classes in the department are taught in English. However, depending on the English skills of professors, exceptions apply. Currently, Sookmyung Women's University coordinates with the government's Small and Medium Business Administration (SBA) to provide high-quality business education. According to a government report, only six top schools were selected to cooperate with the SBA — Seoul National University, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Hanyang University, and Inha University.

Dual degree program

Sookmyung Women's University is the first Korean university to offer a dual degree program that allows students to earn degrees from two institutions. Students are exposed to more comprehensive and integrative approaches to their majors by studying four semesters at each school.

Academic rank

According to JoongAng Daily's 2018 university rankings, Sookmyung Women's University is the second best women's university in Korea and is ranked nr. 20 on South Korea's list of best universities. Admission is selective. General CSAT scores for admission is two level 1 and one level 2 in language, mathematics; foreign language criteria and two level 1 in rest.

Chung Young Yang Embroidery Museum

The Chung Young Yang Embroidery Museum at Sookmyung Women's University is an exhibition, educational, and research facility dedicated to advancing the knowledge and appreciation of embroidery and textile arts. Inaugurated in May 2004, the museum houses an extensive collection of embroidered and woven textiles representing various periods and regions. The museum's permanent collection, primarily focused on East Asian costume and decorative arts, is among the most comprehensive of its kind in Asia. Housed in a new building that includes exhibition galleries, an information center, a library, conservation studios, classrooms and a 300 seat auditorium equipped with earphones for simultaneous translation, the museum aims to become a leading center for scholarship in embroidery and other textile arts.

Collection

The permanent collection of the Chung Young Yang Embroidery Museum includes votive textiles, ecclesiastical robes, military uniforms, folding screens, wedding garments, chair and table coverings, rank insignia, and various types of clothing, costume accessories, and household furnishings used by all social classes. The collection encompasses a broad range of examples from around the world as well as replicas of extant ancient artifacts.

Controversy

In 2012, Sookmyung University's board was involved in a scandal involving alleged money laundering. Specifically, according to the school's internal laws, the university's board is obliged to make financial contributions to the operational budget of the school through a foundation. However, when the school received a total of 68.5 billion won ($61 million) in donations from 1995 to 2009, the university's board placed these donations in a foundation account and then transferred them to a school administration account, making it appear as if it was the foundation which made a financial contribution to the school's management. Excluding these "donations", the foundation made no contribution of its own to school administration. As a consequence, from 1995 to 20, 9 Sookmyung University students paid 5% more tuition fee than they otherwise would have had to do. In 2020, Sookmyung Women's University became the first Korean women's university to admit a trans student; however, the student later withdrew her acceptance after news of her acceptance sparked controversy.

Trivia

Sookmyung Women's University is rated as one of the top universities in Asia in law and medical research, and its related achievements are also significant.

Notable people