State University of New York opened its Korea campus in Songdo, Incheon on Monday, which is the first branch campus of the U.S. university in Korea.

“We are proud that after a long relationship with Korea we constructed this partnership,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher at a meeting with Education Minister Lee Ju-ho on Monday morning before the opening ceremony.

“We have had a rough start in embarking on the project, but I look forward to a great outcome. More elite schools are also flocking to Songdo, including Yonsei University. But the highlight is the SUNY campus,” said Lee.

Zimpher said she looks forward to expanding not only academic partnerships but also corporate partnerships with companies like Samsung.

“Students will not only have international academic experience but also work experience at the SUNY campus,” she said.

The SUNY Korea campus in the Incheon Free Economic Zone offers masters and doctoral courses in the fields of management of technology and computer science.

Two more schools are expected to open in Incheon, including George Mason University in the U.S. and Ghent University from Belgium, as part of the Korean government’s effort to create a special zone for higher education in the area.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)